AT LEAST 925 CIVILIANS KILLED IN UKRAINE, UN SAYS

Mon 21 March 2022:

The UN’s human rights office (OHCHR) says it has confirmed at least 925 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia began its invasion on February 24, but warned the true toll is likely to be “considerably higher”.

Another 1,496 civilians have been injured as of midnight on Sunday amid Russia’s onslaught, according to OHCHR’s figures.

“Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes,” the organisation said in a statement.

“OHCHR believes that the actual figures are considerably higher, especially in Government-controlled territory and especially in recent days, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration,” it added, citing several areas, including Mariupol.

Nearly 6.5 mln displaced by war inside Ukraine – IOM

The UN migration agency said on Monday that nearly 6.5 million people had been displaced in Ukraine as a direct result of the war, exceeding its worst forecasts.

The figures come from a study conducted by the International Organization for Migration between March 9-16. They are in addition to the more than 3.3 million people the UN body says have fled across borders since the Russian invasion began on February 24.

“The scale of human suffering and forced displacement due to the war far exceeds any worst-case scenario planning,” IOM Director General Antonio Vitorino said. IOM teams had been providing aid such as food and blankets to thousands of people but those in severely affected areas remained out of reach, he added.

Many of the displaced are particularly vulnerable, including pregnant women, the elderly and people with chronic diseases, IOM said. It reiterated a call for the cessation of hostilities and for the creation of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians to escape.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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