The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stands ready to act as a neutral intermediary in an evacuation from eastern Aleppo being negotiated by various parties, the ICRC spokeswoman Krista Armstrong said.
According to her, at the moment, the different parties are still discussing the details of this agreement and how it will be implemented. "We hope it will materialise and - most importantly - that it will take into consideration the interests of the civilians," Reuters cited her as saying.
She added that if the basic humanitarian principles are met, and if the parties are all in favour, the ICRC stands ready to act as a neutral humanitarian intermediary and to assist civilians who are in need. "We are therefore preparing contingency plans, so we can be able to act fast, if needed," she stressed.
Civilians being evacuated must be protected and any choosing to stay behind also must be protected, she said, noting that the ICRC was not directly involved in the negotiations.
