Red Cross teams on way to Mariupol, but without aid

FILE PHOTO: An armoured vehicle of pro-Russian troops drives along a street past a residential building destroyed during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine March 31, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is sending teams to the besieged port city of Mariupol and is "hopeful" that evacuations of thousands of civilians can begin on Friday, a spokesperson said at a press briefing.

"We have permission to move today and we are en route to Mariupol," ICRC spokesperson Ewan Watson said. "We are hopeful it (the safe passage operation) will commence today."

However, the body did not receive permission to take humanitarian aid with the convoy, and it departed without any supplies, he added.

(Reporting by Emma Farge, Editing by Miranda Murray)