Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan & other topics - Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:

Yemen
Sudan/Kadugli
South Sudan
Bangladesh
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Occupied Palestinian Territory/Humanitarian
Lebanon/Israel
Ukraine
Libya
Sahel and West Africa
Burundi/Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Central African Republic
UNHCR
International Days
Noon Briefings

YEMEN

The Secretary-General strongly condemns the arbitrary detention on 18 December of a further 10 United Nations personnel by the Houthi de facto authorities, bringing the total number of detained UN staff to 69.

These detentions render the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Houthi-controlled areas untenable. This directly affects millions of people in need and limits their access to life-saving assistance.

The Secretary-General calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all arbitrarily detained personnel from the United Nations, but also from non-governmental, from civil society and from diplomatic missions. Mr. Guterres calls on the Houthis to rescind the referral of UN personnel for prosecution. He further calls for the respect of international law, including the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, which are essential to enabling humanitarian action in a secure and principled environment.

The Secretary-General and the UN will continue our sustained efforts with Member States and with the Security Council, as well as through direct engagement with the Houthis, to secure the release of all detained UN colleagues. Mr. Guterres stands in solidarity with the affected families of those detained and the communities in Yemen.

SUDAN/KADUGLI

A few days ago, we paid tribute to six UN peacekeepers who were killed on Saturday in a drone attack on their camp in Kadugli, in South Kordofan. They were part of UNISFA, the UN peacekeeping force for Abiyei. Their remains today departed the UN logistics base in Entebbe [Uganda] for their home country, Bangladesh. And I can now share their names and ages : The six were 37-year-old Corporal Muhammed Masud Rana, Private Muhammed Sabuj Mia, aged 29, Private Muhammed Jahangir Alam, also aged 29, Private Santo Mondol, who was 26 years old, Private Shamin Reza, who was 28 years old, and Private Muhammed Mominul Islam who was 35 years old.

We once again send our deepest condolences to their families, to their colleagues, to the government and people of Bangladesh.

We also reiterate that attacks against UN peacekeepers are not only unacceptable but they may constitute a war crime, accountability in this case and all other cases must prevail.

Meanwhile, we can also confirm that eight of the nine injured peacekeepers in Saturday’s attack are receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Nairobi, in Kenya, where they are recovering. One peacekeeper has been discharged from the Mission’s own medical facility in Abyei after receiving needed treatment.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon...