Syria

In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and most particularly in the West Bank, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is warning that people there are increasingly exposed to deadly warfare tactics that seem to exceed international standards for law enforcement.

The surge of Mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a growing number of African countries is a public health emergency of international concern, the World Health Organization warns. The Agency has released $1.45 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies and may release more in the coming days.

The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) reports that following negotiations it dismantled a militia camp set up by the CODECO armed group in a school in Fataki, in Ituri Province. Nearly 450 students that had been forced to relocate can now return to school for the upcoming year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said today that the African region is experiencing an unprecedented increase in mpox cases since the start of 2024, with more countries previously unaffected by the disease reporting cases in an expanding spread of the virus.

The Office of Internal Oversight Services has completed its investigation into the alleged involvement of 19 area staff members of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in the 7 October 2023 armed attack in southern Israel. It found nine may have been involved and will terminate those individuals.

In Chad, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the country is grappling with an array of challenges that are driving humanitarian needs. These include the arrival of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the conflict in neighbouring Sudan.

Amid the stalemate in Syria’s political situation, speakers urged the Security Council today to maintain their focus on that country, emphasizing that the consequences of neglecting the 14-year conflict could be severe for both the country and the region.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today released its World Forests report, which says that forests face increasing climate-related stress amid growing demand for their products. The report also warns that climate change is making our forests more vulnerable to stressors such as wildfires and pests.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN peacekeepers provided training to 400 new recruits of the Congolese Armed Forces to better equip them to respond to the abuses committed against civilians by armed groups in hard-to-reach areas.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan for six months until 31 December and requested the Secretary-General to ensure that the Force has the required capacity and resources to fulfil its mandate “in a safe and secure way”.