Aid agency pulls out of Iraq

2004-11-04 20:44

Geneva - The aid agency doctors without borders, Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) said on Thursday it was pulling out of Iraq because of escalating violence in the country and the danger to its staff.

MSF said, it had taken the decision "in the light of the extreme risks taken in the country by humanitarian workers."

Gorik Ooms, director general of MSF-Belgium said: "It has become impossible for us, as an international humanitarian organisation, to guarantee an acceptable level of security for our staff, whether they are expatriates or Iraqis."

MSF regrets its decision

"We deeply regret that we are no longer able to bring medical aid to the Iraqi people when they need it the most," he added in a statement released in Geneva.

Six more foreigners were kidnapped in Iraq on Wednesday while the kidnappers of an Irish-born aid worker threatened to hand her to a ruthless group led by Iraq's most wanted man Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

MSF's withdrawal came just two months after it had vowed to press on with providing aid inside the country despite deteriorating security conditions and the kidnapping in September of two aid workers for an Italian charity.

The Italian duo were later released.

- AFP