Tipperary transport mananger heads for Afghan border

Meagher, is leaving again having spent just over a week at home after being one of the last foreign Red Cross aid-workers to leave Afghanistan, after the Taliban authorities advised that they could no longer guarantee his safety. He has reported that the situation in Afghanistan is worsening daily with people fleeing to the mountains in search of safety and food.

The Tipperary man had previously been based in the province of Ghor in the western area of Herat near the Iranian border and is returning to the same area, but this time will be stationed in the Iranian border town of Mashad which is close to the borders of both Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. Meagher plans to restart the feeding programme for over half a million people to whom he had previously delivered aid.

Meaghers work as a logistician means that he will be responsible for the delivery of vital food and other humanitarian aid to people still inside Afghanistan. He will oversee the warehousing, shipments and quantities of food, shelter equipment and medical supplies to ensure that this life-saving humanitarian aid reaches the most needy.

The Afghan staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross, who number up to a thousand, have remained in Afghanistan to provide a basic emergency food and medical relief service to the country's destitute.

Two other Irish Red Cross delegates, Maurice O'Neill and Brendan MacQuillan who are both from County Louth, have also served in Afghanistan recently as part of the Irish Red Cross' commitment to aiding that country. This effort has been given a significant boost recently with tens of thousands of pounds donated by the Irish public to help support this relief operation. Donations are badly needed and can be made to our CallSave number by credit card on 1850 50 70 70 or by direct lodgement to accounts at Bank of Ireland and AIB.

PHOTOCALL
You are invited to send a representative to meet

Seamus Meagher at 10.30am on Monday next 8 October at the Headquarters of the
Irish Red CrossCrois Dhearg na hÉireann 16 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.

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