ICRC

As the armed conflict in Syria escalates and takes a heavy toll on civilians, the ICRC is more determined than ever to carry on with its work in order to meet growing humanitarian needs. The organization is appealing to all parties to the conflict to fully respect the rules and principles of international humanitarian law, which is commonly known as the laws of war.

The President of the ICRC, Jakob Kellenberger, has arrived in Washington for a two-day visit during which he will hold talks with senior US officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta.

Mr Kellenberger will focus on the relationship between the ICRC and the United States, detention-related matters, and the use of force in armed conflicts and other situations of violence. He will also discuss the humanitarian situation in some of the ICRC's main areas of operations, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.

"I am particularly interested in discussing the current state of affairs in connection with detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay," said Mr Kellenberger before the visit. "I am also keen to share views on humanitarian concerns in the ICRC's key operational contexts."

US Central Command - CENTCOM - is one of ten combatant commands in the US military, with an area of responsibility that covers Middle East and Central Asia. One of the tasks of ICRC Washington is to engage with its leadership on humanitarian issues of ICRC concern.

The ICRC-CENTCOM relationship started in 2005 as an extension of the operational dialogue the organization already had with the US military in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Pentagon.