2 June 2023 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is concerned that the looming escalation of hostilities could witness use of weapons and tactics that cause even greater civilian harm.
George Readings, IRC’s Global Crisis Analysis Lead, said,
“Humanitarian organisations are seriously worried that the looming escalation of hostilities is likely to inflict even more civilian harm in Ukraine with severity we have not seen since the start of full-scale war.
“The IRC and other actors are gearing up to respond to the potential spike in humanitarian needs, including a deployment of rapid response teams which can reach conflict-affected people within a matter of hours or days, depending on safety and access.
“Already the recent increase in aerial attacks is causing a higher level of distress among affected populations, including IRC’s teams who are working to provide humanitarian assistance to communities impacted by the war.
“We are concerned that this escalation could witness use of weapons and tactics that cause even greater loss of civilian life. We have seen similar shifts happen in other conflicts, where civilians paid the highest price for violations of international humanitarian law committed with impunity.”