"MASS GRAVES"

The UN Human Rights Office is extremely alarmed by reports that Rapid Support Forces and their allied Arab militia killed hundreds of ethnic Masalit civilians in Ardamata town earlier this month, in yet another ethnically motivated mass attack on non-Arab Masalit civilians in West Darfur in just a few months. UNTV CH

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the Organization “continues to call for the hostages to be released unharmed. We are deeply concerned for their health and well-being, just as we are concerned for the health and well-being of the people of Gaza, which is becoming more precarious every hour.” WHO

After concluding a two-week mission in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the country, Bintou Keita, said, “the last mile in peace operations is the hardest,” and added that “by listening to the people, we are committed to protecting, and consulting with close partners working in the field, we can ensure a responsible drawdown.” MONUSCO

The United Nations top official in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) travelled to Bunia in the province of Ituri in eastern DRC to meet representatives of different communities and to discuss challenges ahead for MONUSCO’s transition. MONUSCO

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

Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani reported that “the bodies of at least 87 ethnic Masalit and others allegedly killed last month by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their allied militia in West Darfur have been buried in a mass grave” outside El-Geneina on the orders of RSF. OHCHR

A group of representatives of the Mothers of Srebrenica visited UN Headquarters in New York on the eve of International Day for Countering Hate Speech, observed at the UN on June 18. UNIFEED

There was another attack by CODECO militia overnight in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), “the attack took place at the Plaine Savo camp for displaced people, nine kilometres east of Djugu. Seven people were reportedly killed and many others fled the site,” said a UN Spokesperson. UNIFEED

According to the Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), mass graves containing the bodies of 42 civilians, including 12 women and six children, have been discovered in the village of Nyamamba, a UN spokesperson told reporters. UNIFEED

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk visited Izium, Ukraine. OHCHR