AID agencies suspended their humanitarian operations in Iraq yesterday as a result of “lawlessness” and demanded that coalition forces restore order. Relief workers said that there was no point in delivering aid if it was going to be looted and that the chaos was disrupting the programmes that were operating.

United Nations agencies said that euphoria could turn to violence and the chaos could lead to people fleeing their homes. The Red Cross stopped work in Baghdad after one of its vehicles was shot at and an injured member of staff went missing.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said in a statment from Jordan: “The UN refugee agency is very concerned about the general lawlessness that is apparent in part of Iraq. Growing chaos in Iraq’s cities and the precarious humanitarian situation could combine to spark the displacement of civilians. We urge the occupying forces to take immediate measures to restore and maintain law and order and to ensure that humanitarian assistance flows to those who need it.”

Carol Bellamy, the executive director of Unicef, said: “Even conflicts are guided by rules and humanitarian conventions. It is the responsibility of those who retain effective control of a territory to ensure that there is order and that there is secure access for the delivery of life-saving aid.

“We have to be able to physically get to a town, get to those who most urgently need aid and deliver it in a way that ensures it’s being used by those weakened and besieged by thirst, fear and hunger.”

Before the war, Unicef put thousands of tonnes of life- saving supplies both inside Iraq and in neighbouring countries in readiness for a rapid emergency resonse. It has an unofficial haulage operation in south Iraq using local drivers, who have reported large-scale looting of schools and government facilities, in areas through which coalition forces have passed.

Much of the relief work is being held up by security fears, causing frustration among relief workers unable to go to where the need is greatest. Only the southern port of Umm Qasr has been declared completely safe by coalition workers, and agencies are carrying out assessments to work out when it is safe to send international staff in.

The UN pulled out all its international staff before the war started, and the Security Council in New York has to give the go-ahead for staff to re-enter. The UN suffered yesterday from the looting of some of its supplies inside Iraq.

A Unicef employee in Kuwait said: “We have the logistics, we have the staff, we are just waiting for the green light from New York. We have to have international staff on the ground to check that aid isn’t being looted. If we send stuff into Basra, what would be left of it? You need a structure in place to allow the distribution. You need the police or army.”

Each charity assesses the security situation according to its own rules. The Roman Catholic relief charity Cafod will send staff only to places declared safe by the coalition forces. Paul Nicholson, the Cafod spokesman in Kuwait, said: “It’s a real problem. Most agencies haven’t got anyone in on the ground, most are stuck in Kuwait with itchy feet waiting to go over the border. A lot of people are frustrated, eager to get working – we need to get into Basra, there is a huge humanitarian task ahead of us.”

At present, many agencies are focusing their efforts on Umm Qasr, with its 40,000 residents. “Umm Qasr is a bit of a circus,” Mr Nicholson said.

Frontline agencies, such as the Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières, have people operating in Baghdad, but the Red Cross suspended operations there yesterday because the situation was “chaotic and unpredictable” and it lost a Canadian employee. A Red Cross vehicle with three staff came under fire. While two escaped, the third, Vatche Arslanian, was injured and disappeared.

The Red Cross confined its staff to their office and issued a statement saying: “Given the chaotic and totally unpredictable situation in the city, getting from one place to another involves incalculable risks.”

A spokeswoman in Kuwait said that the Red Cross had confined its staff in Basra to their offices. “We’re not moving in Basra because of the chaos and looting – if we leave our offices, there’ll be no more computers and no more humanitarian relief.”

Public open wallets for victims

Charities reported yesterday an upsurge in donations from the public to help the victims of the war. Recent footage of child casualties and the end of the regime spurred public interest.

The British Red Cross, on behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross, has launched the Iraq Crisis Appeal: 08705 125 125 or www.redcross.org.uk/iraqcrisis . Unicef is raising money for the 12 million children of Iraq. www.unicef.org.uk/emergency or 08457 312 312.

Ali Ismail Abbas, the boy who lost both arms and his family in a missile attack, has inspired Ali’s Fund for the Limbless of Iraq: The ALI Fund, c/o Limbless Association, Rehabilitation Centre, Roehampton Ln, Lnd, SW15 5PR, www.justgiving.com/alisfund

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