And on Saturday, in West Darfur state, a civilian was reported dead following two drone strikes in the vicinity of Kulbus. According to UN humanitarian partners, more than 600 people have been displaced by the attacks there.
Deaths and injuries
In South Kordofan State, multiple drone strikes between January 1 and 3 in Dilling were reported to have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries.
The situation remains dire in Dilling, with civilians trapped under siege as humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate, while access to essential supplies is increasingly restricted.
“We reiterate our call for the protection of civilians and unhindered humanitarian access to all affected areas,” Dujarric stressed.
“Continuous and predictable humanitarian access is essential to provide life-saving assistance and prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation.”
Ukraine: UN and partners continue to support victims of latest Russian attacks
In Ukraine, the UN and its aid partners continue to provide support to the people of besieged Kharkiv, amid continued Russian attacks on Monday.
Last Friday, an attack on a high-rise block in the eastern city reportedly killed six residents, including a mother and child.
In addition, dozens more were injured in the attack and many left homeless, amid icy conditions and snow, according to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA.
In addition, parts of the city near the Russian border were left without electricity, water and gas.
Civilians face increasing danger
“Further attacks are being reported in the city, which risks causing additional harm to civilians and further destruction of homes, as temperatures remain well below zero,” Maka Khazalia said., Head of the OCHA office in Kharkiv.
“Humanitarian teams continue to support those affected by the attack and will continue to provide assistance to those affected in the future.”
UN humanitarian workers work alongside partners and city staff, providing essential services to those in need.
This includes the delivery of hot meals, non-food items and mental health support.
Attacks were also reported in the Chernihiv, Donetsk, Kherson and Mykolaiv regions causing civilian casualties and damage to critical infrastructure, leading to power outages.
Humanitarian colleagues also note that on January 2, authorities announced mandatory evacuations of more than 3,000 children and their families from frontline areas in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Refugee response now at critical point in Ethiopia, WFP warns
In Ethiopia, the global crisis in funding humanitarian work is taking a heavy toll, with aid teams warning that the refugee response is stretched to breaking point.
The UN World Food Program (WFP) warned that more than 1.1 million people are at risk of losing “food, water and health care in a matter of weeks”, due to lack of financing.
Ethiopia is the second country in Africa to host refugees and has seen a surge in arrivals amid ongoing conflicts in Sudan and South Sudan, as well as drought in Somalia.
More than a million refugees have already suffered prolonged ration cuts since May 2023 and the WFP has now had to cut food assistance again, from 60 percent to 40 percent.
WFP calls for urgent funding
“Beyond humanitarian assistance, sustained funding is urgently needed to support solutions that help refugees rebuild their lives,” said Claire Nevill, WFP’s Head of Communications in Ethiopia.
“Without immediate support, more services will be cut and more lives will be at risk.”
He insisted that the Government of Ethiopia, WFP and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) aimed to provide vulnerable people fleeing conflict and hunger with long-term livelihood opportunities, including jobs.
But additional support will be needed to support sustainable projects so refugees can rebuild their lives, he said.