The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia has been fighting its former allies in Sudan’s military government for control of the country since April 2023.
At least 12 people were killed in attacks on two towns in northern Darfur near the Sudan-Chad border, according to local sources, the deputy UN spokesman told reporters on Tuesday.
Other attacks in the towns of Al Tina and Kornoi earlier this week also caused multiple deaths and injuries, including attacks that reportedly killed children and injured civilians.
The UN has warned that the growing use of drone strikes is increasing the danger to civilians in areas already struggling with displacement, insecurity and limited humanitarian access.
Diplomatic efforts continue
At the same time, the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, continues diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions and protecting civilians.
The UN – together with regional and international partners – is also working to support preparations for a future political dialogue led by Sudan.
The UN again called on all combatants to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and allow humanitarian aid to reach communities in need, warning that millions of people across Sudan need urgent assistance.
Violence in Haiti’s capital shows no signs of abating
The U.N. aid coordination office, OCHA, reported Tuesday that conditions continue to deteriorate in and around the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, with gang-related violence increasing since May 10, particularly in the Cité Soleil neighborhood.
According to new estimates from the IOM, the United Nations migration agency, some 17,500 people (that is, more than 4,200 households) have been displaced in the last two weeks.
More than 80 percent of the displaced are taking shelter in 33 sites, while others are housed in families who are already vulnerable, OCHA said.
Needs are growing rapidly
Assessments at displacement sites point to rapidly growing needs for food, clean water, medical care and hygiene supplies.
Conditions at the sites, including poor lighting, also raise safety concerns.
“Children separated from their families, pregnant women and people with disabilities are at increased risk as a result,” UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters at the daily briefing.
“Our humanitarian partners continue to respond despite insecurity and access limitations, and OCHA is coordinating the effort to ensure we can reach people in need more effectively.”
The UN warns that Afghan women “are no longer equal before the law”
The UN gender equality agency, UN Women, is raising the alarm over the latest Taliban decree that further erodes the rights of Afghan women and girls, almost five years after the Taliban returned to power.
Decree No. 18, issued by Afghanistan’s de facto Ministry of Justice on May 14, outlines rules for separating a spouse and has raised concerns about an increase in child marriage and the ability of women to leave abusive relationships.
Unlike laws in place before the Taliban takeover, the decree does not set a minimum age for marriage and instead states that child marriage can only be annulled after the girl reaches puberty.
The move risks normalizing child marriage in Afghanistan.
power imbalance
The decree also imposes heavier legal burdens on women seeking separation from their spouse, including requiring multiple witness testimony, while giving husbands greater authority in marital disputes.
“This once again highlights that men and women are no longer equal before the law in Afghanistan,” said Susan Ferguson, the UN agency’s Special Representative in the country.
UN Women calls on Taliban authorities to change course to ensure laws and policies comply with international human rights standards.