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The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Wednesday that it had decided to temporarily suspend its humanitarian operations in Baghdad due to the "chaotic and unpredictable" situation in the Iraqi capital city.
The decision came after one of ICRC staff member had been reportedly missing in Baghdad since Tuesday afternoon.
The Geneva-base agency said in a statement that Vatche Arslanian, a 48-year-old Canadian, was feared to have been seriously injured when the vehicle carrying him and the other two ICRC employees came under fire.
It was unknown yet whether the car, which was clearly marked with the distinctive red crosses of the humanitarian agency, was caught in a crossfire or was under direct attack, the ICRC said.
It added that moving around "involves incalculable risks" due to the chaotic and unpredictable situation in Baghdad.
Before the suspension, the ICRC was the only humanitarian aid agency operating in Iraq with six international employees and local staff based in Baghdad.
(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2003)
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