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| Red Cross Reduces Presence in Afghanistan After Staff Is Attacked | Red Cross Reduces Presence in Afghanistan After Staff Is Attacked |
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| KABUL, Afghanistan — After 30 years of medical work during some of Afghanistan’s bloodiest times, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Monday that it was drastically reducing its presence in the country after a series of attacks on its staff. | KABUL, Afghanistan — After 30 years of medical work during some of Afghanistan’s bloodiest times, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Monday that it was drastically reducing its presence in the country after a series of attacks on its staff. |
| The Red Cross said it would close its operations in Faryab and Kunduz, two northern provinces heavily affected by fighting in recent years, scale down a regional hub in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, and assess whether it could hand over an orthopedic center there to the Afghan government or another partner. | The Red Cross said it would close its operations in Faryab and Kunduz, two northern provinces heavily affected by fighting in recent years, scale down a regional hub in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, and assess whether it could hand over an orthopedic center there to the Afghan government or another partner. |
| Heavy fighting has considerably limited access to health care across Afghanistan, with the southern province of Uruzgan already losing almost all its health facilities. The Red Cross decision is very likely to affect thousands of people, including many with disabilities. The organization’s seven rehabilitation centers around the country have provided more than 19,000 artificial legs and arms and other devices every year. | |
| Six Red Cross staff members were killed in northern Afghanistan earlier this year, and last month a Spanish physiotherapist at the Mazar-i-Sharif orthopedic center, Lorena Enebral Pérez, was shot dead by one of her polio patients. | Six Red Cross staff members were killed in northern Afghanistan earlier this year, and last month a Spanish physiotherapist at the Mazar-i-Sharif orthopedic center, Lorena Enebral Pérez, was shot dead by one of her polio patients. |
| “This is a difficult moment for the I.C.R.C. and the staff,” said Monica Zanarelli, head of the Red Cross delegation in Afghanistan. “After 30 years of continuous presence in the country, we are reducing our presence and operations.” | “This is a difficult moment for the I.C.R.C. and the staff,” said Monica Zanarelli, head of the Red Cross delegation in Afghanistan. “After 30 years of continuous presence in the country, we are reducing our presence and operations.” |
| Ms. Zanarelli said the organization would not leave Afghanistan entirely, but was trying to limit its workers’ exposure to risk. | Ms. Zanarelli said the organization would not leave Afghanistan entirely, but was trying to limit its workers’ exposure to risk. |
| Abdul Wali Aziz, head of the coordination department at the Afghan Health Ministry, described the decision as “bad news for residents of these provinces,” adding that the Red Cross “was helping us with transferring of the wounded from battlefields to health facilities and providing medicines in some districts of Faryab and Kunduz provinces. They had a health facility in Faryab prison as well.” | Abdul Wali Aziz, head of the coordination department at the Afghan Health Ministry, described the decision as “bad news for residents of these provinces,” adding that the Red Cross “was helping us with transferring of the wounded from battlefields to health facilities and providing medicines in some districts of Faryab and Kunduz provinces. They had a health facility in Faryab prison as well.” |
| Officials in Kunduz said the work of the Red Cross was crucial in making sure basic medical help reached some of the most vulnerable people. The organization supplied medicine to several clinics in the province, where on average 80 patients a day would be treated. | Officials in Kunduz said the work of the Red Cross was crucial in making sure basic medical help reached some of the most vulnerable people. The organization supplied medicine to several clinics in the province, where on average 80 patients a day would be treated. |
| “The clinics were for the poor — for those who couldn’t go to government or private hospitals,” said Saif Wardak, 24, a resident of Imam Sahib district of Kunduz. “This will create a big problem.” | “The clinics were for the poor — for those who couldn’t go to government or private hospitals,” said Saif Wardak, 24, a resident of Imam Sahib district of Kunduz. “This will create a big problem.” |
| The insurgency also relies on Red Cross volunteers to retrieve the bodies of its dead in large parts of the country and to help families of its detainees communicate with them in prison. | The insurgency also relies on Red Cross volunteers to retrieve the bodies of its dead in large parts of the country and to help families of its detainees communicate with them in prison. |
| But since last winter, the Red Cross has suffered a series of attacks. An employee was abducted in Kunduz in December and held for four weeks. In February, militants killed six Red Cross staff members in the northern province of Jowzjan and abducted two others, who were released last month. | But since last winter, the Red Cross has suffered a series of attacks. An employee was abducted in Kunduz in December and held for four weeks. In February, militants killed six Red Cross staff members in the northern province of Jowzjan and abducted two others, who were released last month. |
| Days later, Ms. Enebral was shot dead. Afghan officials said the killer, who had been treated at the center for 19 years, from age 2, was being questioned at the country’s intelligence agency and his motives remained under investigation. | Days later, Ms. Enebral was shot dead. Afghan officials said the killer, who had been treated at the center for 19 years, from age 2, was being questioned at the country’s intelligence agency and his motives remained under investigation. |
| “She laughed a lot. She joked with patients,” said one of Ms. Enebral’s colleagues in a tribute released by the Red Cross. “The rehabilitation center has changed now. All our colleagues have changed. The patients have changed. The loss of Lorena hangs in the air.” | “She laughed a lot. She joked with patients,” said one of Ms. Enebral’s colleagues in a tribute released by the Red Cross. “The rehabilitation center has changed now. All our colleagues have changed. The patients have changed. The loss of Lorena hangs in the air.” |