Hospitals and other medical facilities have been overwhelmed by an influx of casualties, while ongoing heavy fighting has prevented many other injured people from obtaining urgently needed medical care.

"Following the clashes this week, more than 140 wounded have been admitted to Keysaney and Medina hospitals in Mogadishu, which are supported by the ICRC," said Pascal Mauchle, head of the Somalia delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). "Panic-stricken people are abandoning their homes to reach safer areas, but as they do so they risk being caught in the crossfire."

The ICRC deplores the high number of civilian casualties. It urgently calls on all parties to the conflict to respect the rules of international humanitarian law, and reminds them that it is prohibited to direct attacks against civilians not directly participating in the hostilities or to launch indiscriminate attacks against military objectives and civilians or civilian objects. Every feasible precaution must be taken to spare civilians and their property the effects of the hostilities. Medical and humanitarian staff, hospitals and clinics must be respected and protected.

The ICRC is providing medical supplies for Keysaney and Medina hospitals which between them have treated more than 2,200 casualties since January. Recently it also extended its support to five additional temporary Somali Red Crescent Society primary health-care clinics on the outskirts of Mogadishu that care for more than 200,000 displaced people who have fled the capital during the past months.

The ICRC has been providing humanitarian aid for the Somali population since 1977, working closely together with the Somali Red Crescent Society.