UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths called on the Ukrainian and Russian sides to agree on corridors for the evacuation of civilians from settlements where their life is under threat and the delivery of humanitarian aid there.
"I call on the parties to the conflict to immediately fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect the civilian population and civilian infrastructure throughout Ukraine. I also reiterate the appeal for the parties to the conflict to urgently agree on clear arrangements for the safe passage of civilians out of areas where their lives are at risk, as well as the safe, rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance into areas where civilians are facing catastrophic levels of need, especially in areas that have been or remain besieged," the statement released on Friday said.
Griffiths said that recently it became known about the death in mid-March of the employees of the humanitarian organization "Caritas" together with their relatives in the besieged city of Mariupol, Donetsk region, and expressed his condolences.
"I am deeply saddened by the deaths of at least two aid workers who were killed, together with five of their relatives, during an attack that hit the office of the non-governmental organization Caritas in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, on March 15. The events took place nearly one month ago but the information has become available only now. Both employees dedicated their lives to serving the people while working for Caritas. On behalf of the UN and the humanitarian community, I express my sincere condolences to their families and colleagues, as well as to the loved ones of others who died at the Caritas office," the statement said.
According to him, this tragic event "is one example of the terrible consequences of war for civilians, including humanitarian workers."
"Tens of thousands of civilians in Mariupol, which has been the center of terrible upheavals from the very beginning, and other places throughout Ukraine have been living in the zone of hostilities and shelling for 50 days. Since February 24, more than 1,932 civilians have died, including more than 150 children. This must stop," Griffiths said.
