World News in Brief: Deaths and injuries mount in Ukraine, refugees from Sudan, Vanuatu quake response

In October and November alone, there were more than 2,180 civilian deaths and injuries, while nearly 40,000 people have been uprooted by fighting in frontline areas in Donetsk and Kharkiv, according to the UN aid coordination office, OCHA.

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine meanwhile has highlighted an increase in civilian casualties from aerial glide bombs in densely-populated urban centres, including in Kharkiv, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia.

Deadly glide bombs

In one attack on 7 November, glide bombs in Zaporizhzhia “killed at least nine civilians and injured 42, causing severe damage to an oncology centre where cancer patients were undergoing chemotherapy”, the mission said.

It noted that the Odessa region in southern Ukraine has seen increased Russian strikes too since October that have impacted port workers and ships’ crews.

In the Kherson area, drone attacks have killed and injured civilians “on a near-daily basis, accounting for nearly half of the civilian casualties” there last month.

Earlier this week, the UN and aid partners delivered 13 tonnes of hygiene, medical and other supplies for people in front-line villages in the Donetsk region.

Rights investigators hears harrowing testimonies from Sudanese refugees in Uganda

Sudanese refugees in Uganda have shared distressing accounts of the ongoing conflict in Sudan with the UN International Fact-Finding Mission investigating human rights abuses in the country.

The mission, which visited Uganda from 1 to 18 December, met around 200 refugees from various Sudanese states, highlighting the severe impact of the conflict on civilians.

Mohamed Chande Othman, chair of the Fact-Finding Mission, expressed concern over the dire conditions faced by millions of Sudanese refugees trapped in camps.

“They have no means or employment while waiting desperately to be able to return to their home country,” he said.

During their visit to Kiryandongo, Uganda, which hosts over 50,000 refugees, the experts encountered refugees from Khartoum, Blue Nile, Darfur, Gezira, Kordofan, and White Nile.

Devasting impact

They documented the devastating effects of the conflict, including the siege of El Fasher in North Darfur, which has led to widespread destruction, killings, and sexual violence.

Women refugees recounted increased miscarriages and sexual harassment, often by individuals wearing uniforms of the RSF militia, which has been battling Government troops since war erupted in April last year.

The mission noted that nearly 26 million Sudanese need humanitarian aid, with three million facing acute hunger. Over 11 million are internally displaced, and nearly three million have fled the country, including 64,000 to Uganda since April 2023.

The Fact-Finding Mission called for international support for Uganda and other host countries to ensure refugees have access to basic necessities and can live with dignity.

Vanuatu earthquake emergency response ramps up

Aid teams in Vanuatu have ramped up support for tens of thousands of people affected by Wednesday’s devastating 7.3 magnitude earthquake and several major aftershocks.

According to UN satellite analysis, an estimated 116,000 people could be affected by the disaster. At least 14 deaths have been reported.

Immediate needs include healthcare support, shelter, access to clean water and the restoration of emergency communications. Emergency response efforts are underway, and humanitarian partners are mobilizing to assist the affected population.

40,000 children need support

Some 40,000 children in the South Pacific Island nation need humanitarian assistance, according to UNICEF, the UN Children’s Fund.

It has already dispatched community first aid kits, health kits and tents to support essential health services. It has also provided safe water to medical facilities.

Many challenges remain across the island, where many buildings have been damaged, including hospitals. Landslides have cut roads and bridges connecting the airport and the main seaport is also reported to have been severely damaged.