The recent event on Thursday raises the number of UN personnel detained by the Houthis to 69. These detentions have hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid in Houthi-controlled regions, impacting millions in need and restricting access to essential assistance, according to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. In a statement, the Secretary-General called for the immediate, unconditional release of all arbitrarily detained UN personnel, NGOs, civil society, and diplomatic missions. He urged the Houthis to revoke the prosecution referrals of UN staff and emphasized respect for international law, including UN privileges and immunities, crucial for humanitarian efforts.
The UN Secretary-General and the UN are committed to ongoing efforts with Member States, the Security Council, and direct engagement with the Houthis to ensure the release of all detained UN staff.
The bodies of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed in a drone attack in Kadugli, Sudan, have been repatriated to Bangladesh. The fallen peacekeepers were part of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), including Corporal Muhammed Masud Rana and Privates Muhammed Sabuj Mia, Muhammed Jahangir Alam, Santo Mondol, Shamin Reza, and Muhammed Mominul Islam. UN spokesman Dujarric expressed condolences to their families, colleagues, the government, and the Bangladeshi people and reiterated that attacks on UN peacekeepers are unacceptable and could be considered war crimes. He emphasized accountability for such incidents. Eight of the injured peacekeepers are receiving medical care in Nairobi, while one was treated and released at the Abyei medical center.
Humanitarian groups are assisting those affected by recent deadly attacks in Ternopil, Ukraine.
A recent wave of Russian strikes has severely disrupted essential services in Ukraine, worsening the humanitarian situation amid harsh winter conditions, as reported by the UN aid coordination office (OCHA). Between Thursday and Friday, multiple deaths and injuries occurred, according to Ukrainian authorities. In Odessa, a bridge and train station were targeted, resulting in the death of a woman and injuries to civilians, including her children. Attacks on energy infrastructure in the region left 270,000 customers without water, 85,000 without heat, and 75,000 without electricity. As of October, humanitarian agencies, including the UN, have assisted 4.4 million people, OCHA reported. Emergency teams have been deployed to provide first aid to those impacted by the attacks. A humanitarian convoy delivered seven tons of essentials to a frontline community in Kherson. This year, OCHA and partners have sent 29 convoys to the region, aiding over 30,000 residents.
More than 84,000 people have crossed into Burundi from South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the month began, bringing the Congolese refugees and asylum seekers in Burundi to over 200,000. Reports from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) indicate that transit centers and informal sites for new arrivals have exceeded capacity, sometimes by more than 200%. Local resources are overwhelmed, Dujarric noted. Violence in South Kivu has displaced over 500,000 Congolese. Where access permits, UNHCR and its partners continue to provide protection and assistance. UNHCR seeks $47 million over the next four months to aid 500,000 internally displaced people in the DRC and up to 166,000 refugees in Burundi, Rwanda, and other neighboring countries hosting Congolese refugees.
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