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Red Cross sounds alarm for Iraqi civilians

GENEVA, Switzerland, April 11 (UPI) -- Iraqi civilians need to be better protected from violence that often targets them, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Wednesday.

"The suffering that Iraqi men, women and children are enduring today is unbearable and unacceptable. Their lives and dignity are continuously under threat," said ICRC Director of Operations Pierre Krahenbuhl.

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"The ICRC calls on all those who can influence the situation on the ground to act now to ensure that the lives of ordinary people are spared and protected. This is an obligation under international humanitarian law for both states and non-state actors."

The organization released a report that said shootings, bombings, abductions, murders and military operations that target civilians violate international law. Iraqi healthcare facilities are severely short-staffed and undersupplied and the country's water, sewage and electricity systems are in poor condition, the report said.

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