International Groups Begin Pulling Out of Iraq
CHICAGO (NFTF.org) -- In the week leading to Friday's massive car bombing outside Najaf's Shrine of Imam Ali Mosque, which has claimed over 120 lives, international organizations and aid agencies began pulling staff and cutting operations in Iraq.
The bombing of the United Nations headquarters on Aug. 19 was the final straw for groups working in exceedingly hostile conditions. Four days after the attack that killed 23 people, the Swedish Rescue Service Agency evacuated several foreign workers. The next day, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) cut over half of its international staff. British charity Oxfam followed suit, temporarily relocating foreign staff to Amman in Jordan. Though the ICRC and Oxfam retained their local employees, crucial reconstruction projects will be suspended.
Wednesday, Save the Children U.K. told Reuters workers have been transferred out of Iraq and it will maintain "a skeleton crew" in Baghdad.
The European Union recalled three of its six person staff, while the United Nations has sent staff to Jordan and postponed its program to begin repatriating Iraqi refugees from Iran.
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have announced a temporary halt to work within Iraq and relocated their workers to Amman.
The U.N. bombing also postponed Japan's plan to send back up forces into Iraq this October.
YellowTimes.org correspondent Lisa Ashkenaz Croke drafted this report.
Source
CHICAGO (NFTF.org) -- In the week leading to Friday's massive car bombing outside Najaf's Shrine of Imam Ali Mosque, which has claimed over 120 lives, international organizations and aid agencies began pulling staff and cutting operations in Iraq.
The bombing of the United Nations headquarters on Aug. 19 was the final straw for groups working in exceedingly hostile conditions. Four days after the attack that killed 23 people, the Swedish Rescue Service Agency evacuated several foreign workers. The next day, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) cut over half of its international staff. British charity Oxfam followed suit, temporarily relocating foreign staff to Amman in Jordan. Though the ICRC and Oxfam retained their local employees, crucial reconstruction projects will be suspended.
Wednesday, Save the Children U.K. told Reuters workers have been transferred out of Iraq and it will maintain "a skeleton crew" in Baghdad.
The European Union recalled three of its six person staff, while the United Nations has sent staff to Jordan and postponed its program to begin repatriating Iraqi refugees from Iran.
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have announced a temporary halt to work within Iraq and relocated their workers to Amman.
The U.N. bombing also postponed Japan's plan to send back up forces into Iraq this October.
YellowTimes.org correspondent Lisa Ashkenaz Croke drafted this report.
Source
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