April 26, 2024 No comments
UN updates on probe into allegations of staff collusion during 7 October attacks
INTERNATIONAL, 26 April 2024, UN Affairs - A UN Office investigating Israeli accusations that 12 staff members from UN Palestine relief agency UNRWA were involved in the 7 October Hamas-led attacks has closed one of the cases because Israel had not provided any supporting evidence, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Friday. “We are exploring corrective administrative action to be taken in that person’s case,” he said, speaking during the daily press briefing in New York. Meanwhile, eight staff remain under investigation by the UN’s internal oversight body, OIOS, which also suspended three cases “as the information provided by Israel is not sufficient for OIOS to proceed with an investigation.” UNRWA is now also considering what administrative action to take in those three cases. Immediate action taken The accusations surfaced in January when...
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April 26, 2024 No comments
Gaza’s unexploded ordnance could take 14 years to clear
INTERNATIONAL, 26 April 2024, Peace and Security - Making Gaza safe again from unexploded bombs could take 14 years, UN demining experts said on Friday. Pehr Lodhammar, a senior officer from the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), said that the war has left an estimated 37 million tonnes of debris. He said it was impossible to determine the exact amount of unexploded ordnance in the enclave where formerly heavily built-up and densely populated neighbourhoods have been reduced to rubble, after nearly seven months of intense Israeli bombardment. Every square metre in Gaza impacted by the conflict contains some 200 kilogrammes of rubble, the veteran UN demining expert told journalists in Geneva. “All I can say is that at least 10 per cent of the ammunition that is...
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April 26, 2024 No comments
Sudan: Civilians trapped in El Fasher, as UN warns of imminent attack
INTERNATIONAL, 26 April 2024, Peace and Security - Escalating violence in Sudan’s North Darfur state has left dozens dead and people trapped in El Fasher city which is home to around 800,000 people, many displaced due to fighting. In a note to correspondents issued on Friday, the UN said there were “increasingly alarming reports of a dramatic escalation of tensions”. “The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are reportedly encircling El Fasher, suggesting a coordinated move to attack the city may be imminent. Simultaneously, the Sudanese Armed Forces appear to be positioning themselves”, the statement added. An attack on the city would have devastating consequences for civilians, the statement from the UN Spokesperson’s Office continued. “This escalation of tensions is in an area already on the brink of famine. The Secretary-General reiterates his call...
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April 26, 2024 No comments
Ukraine war: UNICEF highlights 40 per cent rise in children killed this year
INTERNATIONAL, 26 April 2024, Peace and Security - As deadly attacks in Ukraine continue, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday that the number of children killed so far this year has increased by nearly 40 per cent compared to 2023. Attacks that occurred between January and March left 25 children dead, including a two-month-old, said the agency. During the first three weeks of April, nine children lost their lives during attacks. UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Regina De Dominicis, said during a visit to the wartorn country that children and families are being forced to endure more loss and destruction as the deadly attacks continue. “Every attack sets back recovery and rebuilding efforts, prolonging the deterioration in children’s quality of life. ‘Nowhere is safe’ "I...
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April 26, 2024 No comments
Burkina Faso: UN rights office deeply alarmed at reported killing of 220 villagers
INTERNATIONAL, 26 April 2024, Human Rights - The UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Friday raised alarm over the situation in northern Burkina Faso where several hundred civilians, including children, were reportedly killed amidst fighting between security forces and armed groups. According to media reports, over 220 civilians – including 56 children – were killed in attacks reportedly carried out by the military in two villages on a single day in late February. Furthermore, at least two international media outlets – the BBC and Voice of America – have been “temporarily suspended” in the past few days following their reporting of the deadly attacks. OHCHR spokesperson Marta Hurtado called for an immediate end to restrictions on media freedom and civic space. “Freedom of expression including the right of...
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