Geneva/Moscow – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) strongly condemns the abduction of two employees of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) by unidentified armed men Wednesday afternoon near Grozny. MSF is deeply shocked by this unacceptable act and would like to express its solidarity with the ICRC and its sympathy with the families of the abductees Alexander Panov and Moussa Satushiev.

MSF denounces the consecutive kidnappings that have taken place in the region over the last couple of months. Nina Davidovich, head of the Russian non-governmental organization Druzhba, and Arjan Erkel, MSF’s head of mission for Dagestan, who were also kidnapped by unidentified gunmen this summer, have still not been released.

This latest kidnapping demonstrates yet again how insecure this conflict-ridden region continues to be and the permanent life-threatening risks civilians and relief workers run.

MSF is deeply concerned about the fate of the abductees and urges those responsible to respect their physical and mental integrity and to release them without any further delay.