24 July 2017 – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned today’s bomb attack in the Afghani capital of Kabul, warning that attacks on civilians may constitute a war crime.

In a statement from his spokesperson, Mr. Guterres expressed his deepest sympathy to the families of those killed, and reaffirmed the UN’s solidarity with the people and Government.

He also stressed that &#8220the deliberate targeting of civilians constitutes a grave violation of human rights and international humanitarian law and may constitute a war crime.&#8221

Also today, a senior official from the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) called the attack &#8220cowardly.&#8221

&#8220I am personally outraged by all attacks against civilians,&#8221 said Pernille Kardel, the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. &#8220The detonation of another large suicide device in a busy, civilian-populated area is egregious, cowardly and bereft of humanity.&#8221

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide attack in the Ghulayee Dawa Khan area of Kabul, which killed more than 20 civilians and injured more than 40, the UN Assistance Mission (UNAMA) said.

The attackers targeted a bus carrying civil servants to work during morning rush hour in the city.

Suicide attacks are the leading cause of civilians casualties this year, according to UNAMA’s midyear report on civilian protection released last week.

Today’s attack came amid planned commemorations for the 23 July 2016 Dehmazang square attack which killed and injured hundreds of people, many from the so-called Enlightened Movement, a coalition of civil society activities, protesting for Hazara minority rights.

&#8220In the context of so much suffering and death, I wish to commend members of the Enlightenment Movement for choosing to address their grievances resulting from last year’s attack through dialogue, not violence,&#8221 said Ms. Kardel, who is the acting chief of UNAMA.

24 July 2017 – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the killing of a UN peacekeeper on Sunday in the Central African Republic, urging the country’s authorities to investigate this incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.

&#8220The Secretary-General is appalled by attacks against United Nations peacekeepers,&#8221 said Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, in a statement issued overnight.

A Moroccan peacekeeper of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) was killed in the south-eastern city of Bangassou in an attack allegedly carried out by anti-Balaka militias. Three others were injured.

The Secretary-General &#8220is deeply concerned&#8221 about the continued fighting in the country’s southeast and calls on all parties to cease violence, the spokesperson said, noting that the UN chief offered his condolences to the bereaved family and to the Government of Morocco, and wished speedy recovery to those injured.

23 July 2017 – Expressing deep concern about the escalating tensions and violent clashes taking place in and around the Old City of Jerusalem, the United Nations and its diplomatic partners in the Middle East peace process have called on all to demonstrate maximum restraint and work towards de-escalating the situation.

In a statement issued late yesterday, the envoys of the so-called Middle East Quartet &#8211 comprising the UN, Russia, the United States and the European Union &#8211 strongly condemned acts of terror, and expressed regret for all loss of innocent life caused by the violence, and hope for a speedy recovery to the wounded.

The statement comes in the wake of a series of deadly stabbings, other violent incidents and rising tensions in and around Jerusalem’s Old City since mid-June, particularly near the holy site known as the Temple Mount and as Haram al-Sharif.

Noting the particular sensitivities surrounding the holy sites in Jerusalem, and the need to ensure security, the Quartet envoys called on all to demonstrate maximum restraint, refrain from provocative actions and work towards de-escalating the situation.

Through their statement, the envoys welcomed the assurances by the Prime Minister of Israel that the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem will be upheld and respected. Further, the Quartet encouraged Israel and Jordan to work together to uphold the status quo, noting Jordan’s special role as recognized in its peace treaty with Israel.

The Quartet envoys reiterated that violence deepens mistrust and is fundamentally incompatible with achieving a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the statement concluded.

22 July 2017 – Calling for &#8220immediate care and protection&#8221 for children caught up in violence in Iraq’s war torn Mosul and other Middle East conflicts, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today warned that the lives and futures of some 27 million across the region and parts of Africa are at risk.

&#8220The worst of the violence in Mosul may be over but for too many children in Mosul and in the region, &#8220extreme suffering continues,&#8221 said, Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

As for recently-liberated Mosul, he said that children in shock continue to be found, some reportedly among the debris or hidden in tunnels. Some have lost their families while fleeing to safety. According to reports, families have been forced to abandon their children or give them away &#8211 they are now living in fear, alone.

&#8220Many children have been forced to fight and some to carry out acts of extreme violence,&#8221 he said, emphasizing: &#8220These are horrific times for far too many children in Iraq and other conflict-affected countries in the region.&#8221

UNICEF says that violence and conflicts are putting the lives and futures of nearly 27 million children at risk, impacted by violence in Yemen, inside Syria and refugee hosting countries, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Libya and Sudan, as well as Iraq.

&#8220In the north-eastern city of Ar-Raqqa in Syria, violence has further intensified over the past weeks, with children repeatedly coming under attack. Between 30,000 and 50,000 civilians continue to be trapped in the city as heavy violence continues around them,&#8221 Mr. Cappelaere explained.

Moreover, families have described horrific conditions and journeys fraught with danger, sniper fire, landmines and unexploded remnants of war, he added.

Such horrors are not over even if children escape from immediate danger. They are being detained, abused and stigmatized for perceived affiliations, while tensions are high between and within communities, said Mr. Cappelaere.

&#8220Those children who are alone need our support to help them find their families, be reunited and surrounded with care, protection and services, regardless of their family’s origin or affiliation,&#8221 he underscored.

&#8220As with any other child in the world, they have the right to be safeguarded, including through legal documentation. Children are children!&#8221

The time to act is now, Mr. Cappelaere said, and asked: &#8220How can we build a more stable and prosperous future for all while children are exposed to such horrors and treated this way?&#8221