Iran

As hostilities escalate in southern Syria, civilian deaths continue to be reported and up to 66,000 people have now been displaced.  Many who fled towards the Jordanian border remain stranded in the desert with little access to humanitarian help.  Planned aid convoys will proceed as soon as the security situation allows.

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a new outbreak of Ebola in Bikoro in Equateur Province yesterday after lab results confirmed two cases of the deadly virus.  The World Health Organization is working closely with the Government to rapidly scale up its operations and mobilize health partners.

The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:

In Syria, a United Nations‑Syrian Arab Red Crescent‑International Committee of the Red Cross inter‑agency convoy entered Douma, in besieged eastern Ghouta, for the first time since 15 November 2017.  Teams delivered food for 27,500 people, along with health and nutrition supplies, while fighting and air strikes continued.

The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic airplane accident today near Yasuj, Iran.

The United Nations in Myanmar is following with concern the reports of violent clashes between the police and protesters in Rakhine State.  The United Nations Office urges respect for the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, and calls for the security forces and demonstrators to act with restraint.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

Recent protests sweeping Iran had resulted in more than 20 deaths, a top United Nations political official told the Security Council today, as the body met for an emergency session on the matter despite objections from some representatives who argued that the Council was not the proper forum for such a debate.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The International Organization for Migration has chartered its first flight of 2018 under the Voluntary Humanitarian Return programme, helping 142 returnees departing from Libya to Gambia.  The organization has escorted almost 20,000 migrants home from Libya since the beginning of 2017.