DR Congo: The doctor who couldn’t leave Goma
Gunfire tore through the dark. Night after night, the 44-year-old physician from Guinea clung to the hope that the besieged city would hold somehow. Then, one morning in late January, the call came: he and the remaining international staff had to be evacuated immediately. “We took the last flight out,” he recalled. Hours later, Goma […]
Sudan: ‘Devastating tragedy’ for children in El Fasher after 500 days of siege
Around 260,000 civilians – including 130,000 children – remain trapped in the area’s main camp for internally displaced people, enduring desperate conditions without aid for more than 16 months. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been battling forces of the military government for control of Sudan for over two years, has cut off all […]
Sudan: A staggering 30 million are in need, as war grinds on
Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy for the humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, briefed journalists on her recent visit to Sudan and neighbouring Chad – a critical entry point for aid and a haven for some 850,000 people who have fled fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia. The war […]
Sudan: Guterres calls for ceasefire in El Fasher, deplores ‘relentless’ militia attacks
António Guterres said he was “appalled by the relentless attacks” by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia on the North Darfur state capital, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement. The paramilitary group and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have been battling for control of devastated country since April 2023 and El Fasher has […]
Sudan: Hundreds feared dead in Darfur landslide
Up to 1,000 people are feared dead in the tragedy, which occurred on Sunday in Tarsin village, located in the Jebel Marra range on the border of Central and South Darfur states. The landslide was triggered by days of heavy rain. “I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the […]
UN voices concern over Greece’s suspension of asylum applications
The move, currently being debated in the Greek Parliament, would halt asylum registration for three months and allow for the return of new arrivals without assessing their claims. It follows a recent rise in landings on the southern islands of Gavdos and Crete. While acknowledging the strain of managing new arrivals, UNHCR said such measures […]
Ukraine: Civilians under fire in record numbers as attacks surge
According to the UN human rights office, OHCHR, at least 139 civilians have been killed and 791 injured so far in July alone. “The devastating physical and psychological impact on civilians of repeated attacks in this and other conflicts cannot be captured by numbers alone,” said OHCHR spokesperson Liz Throssell on Tuesday. Escalating attacks On the […]
UN chief reports progress in Cyprus talks, urges swift implementation of trust measures
Mr. Guterres was speaking to reporters after hosting Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar at the UN Headquarters in New York. “Today’s discussions were constructive. Both leaders reviewed the progress on the six initiatives they agreed to in March to build trust,” he said. Out of these six initiatives, four […]
Ukraine: UN and partners launch Winter Response Plan amid escalating hostilities
Amidst escalating hostilities and continued strikes on critical infrastructure, Ukraine is once again bracing for another harsh winter. As the cold season brings heightened risks, especially for people near the frontline, displaced persons living in collective sites, and other vulnerable populations, the Winter Response Plan aims to deliver essential multisectoral humanitarian assistance to over […]
As war rages on in Ukraine, organised crime is taking new forms
Since February 2022, both legal and illegal economies in Ukraine have been severely disrupted by the war. The report examines the evolution of organised crime structures in the country and focuses on six distinct areas: drug trafficking and production, online scams and fraud, arms trafficking, economic crime, trafficking in persons, and the facilitation of illegal […]