The United Nations has expressed deep concern over escalating insecurity in Sudan’s Darfur region and its devastating impact on civilians. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported that more than 10 people were killed and several others injured in a drone strike on the town of Um Dukhun in Central Darfur. The UN strongly condemned the attack, emphasizing the urgent need to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. Ongoing violence has also displaced families, with at least 115 people fleeing their homes in North Darfur’s Kutum locality and seeking shelter in El Fasher, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Despite the worsening conflict, humanitarian efforts continue. The World Health Organization is currently implementing a six-day “Big Catch Up” vaccination campaign targeting over 81,000 children across eight localities in West Darfur. The UN has reiterated the urgent need for safe and unhindered humanitarian access, along with flexible funding, to reach vulnerable populations as Sudan’s civil war enters its fourth year.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Mine Action Service has warned that more than 100 million people in over 60 countries are living under the threat of landmines and unexploded ordnance. These remnants of war continue to kill and injure thousands each year, with civilians accounting for the vast majority of victims, including many children. Speaking at a global demining meeting in Geneva, UNMAS Director Kazumi Ogawa highlighted how ongoing conflicts are increasing exposure to such dangers. At the same event, UN Global Advocate for Peace Maryam Bukar Hassan shared a personal account from Nigeria’s Borno State, where years of insurgency have left land heavily contaminated. She described how hundreds of explosions in recent years have caused widespread casualties, underscoring that landmines continue to harm indiscriminately, regardless of ceasefires or identities.
In a separate development, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has raised concerns over a rise in executions for drug-related offences in Singapore. Eight executions have been carried out so far this year, with the majority linked to drug convictions. The recent execution of Omar bin Yacob Bamadhaj, who was given only two weeks’ notice, has drawn sharp criticism. Türk described the act as cruel and inhuman, reiterating the UN’s firm opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances. The organization continues to advocate for its global abolition, noting that more than two-thirds of countries have already ended the practice in law or in effect.
