MSF statement on reported airstrike in Iraq

White flag with red logo of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) against sunny blue sky

© Valérie Batselaere/MSF

BAGHDAD/NEW YORK, June 16, 2022—Esther Van Der Woerdt, head of mission for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Iraq, gave the following statement after MSF staff received patients wounded in an attack yesterday, which was reportedly an airstrike, in the Sinuni subdistrict of Sinjar, Iraq:

"MSF medical staff at Sinuni General Hospital received seven critically injured patients, including an 11-year-old child. Despite all efforts of our medical team, we did not manage to save the child's life. The other six injured patients were stabilized, and three were referred to other medical facilities where they could benefit from more advanced care. We condemn any use of violence in densely populated areas and urge all parties to respect the lives of civilians at all times."