ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has announced its attempt to contact the self-claimed Islamic State with the aim of delivering assistance to 10 million civilians living under the extremist group in Iraq and Syria, ICRC Director-General Yves Daccord told the AFP in a Sunday interview.
"Yes, we are of course looking at building a relationship," said Daccord.
He also expressed concern regarding the fate of the 10 million people living under ISIS, saying, "We are interested in these 10 million people. What happens to them? What are their problems? This is what will guide us.”
"My sense is, most of the international organizations will have to possibly rethink about how they operate in these areas, otherwise they won't be in a position to (work)," he added.
Daccord’s remarks come ahead of an ICRC conference in Geneva, held at regular intervals, which brings some 2,000 ICRC representatives and national Red Cross/Red Crescent staff members to together to hold talks on the struggles facing humanitarian specialists in progressively complex environments.
Daccord said the ICRC believes that in order to help civilians stranded in war-torn zones, communicating with armed groups becomes an obligation and a necessity.
“You cannot just come from Geneva and expect armed groups to let you operate. You don’t build acceptance from Boko Haram or any armed group in Syria in one day. It takes a lot of time and you have to have the right people,” he said.
Daccord added that an actor like the ICRC has to be “absolutely and deeply humanitarian.”
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