Following the appalling massacres in Homoine and Manjacaze on 18 July and 10 August, the ICRC appealed to all the combatants in the conflict in Mozambique to put a stop to such atrocities. In a press release of 14 August, the ICRC reminded those involved in the conflict that one of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law is that civilians—especially women, children and old people—must be respected, together with hospitals and hospital staff; in short, all those not taking part in the fighting must be spared.