World News in Brief: Sudan drone attacks condemned, South Sudan violence, airstrikes in Ukraine, South Africa Freedom Day

The United Nations has condemned two recent drone attacks in Sudan, one of which left seven dead, Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday during his regular media briefing in New York.

An aid truck from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) that was carrying emergency shelter kits came under attack by a drone on Friday while transiting through the town of Umm Drisaya in North Darfur state. 

Although the driver escaped unhurt, all supplies were destroyed in the fire.

The truck was heading to the town of Tawila, where 700,000 people have sought safety after fleeing fighting in other parts of Sudan. The brutal civil war between rival militaries has now entered a fourth year.

UNHCR will continue its work to reach people displaced by the conflict, including nearly nine million nationwide and more than 860,000 others who have fled across the border into other countries. 

‘Ordinary families’ killed and injured 

The second incident occurred on Saturday when a drone reportedly caused casualties in residential neighbourhoods of El Obeid city, North Kordofan state. 

Seven people were killed and over 20 injured, according to a local medical group. 

“These are ordinary families in their homes, caught in violence that continues to reach civilian neighbourhoods,” said Mr. Dujarric. “We condemn all of these attacks.”  

Meanwhile, a recent assessment by UN partners has revealed a worsening humanitarian situation across displacement sites in Blue Nile state, he added. 

Main factors include overcrowding, lack of privacy, inadequate shelter, poor sanitation, and escalating risks of gender-based violence. 

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Denise Brown, visited the state capital Damazine last week where she highlighted how funding gaps, insecurity, and access constraints continue to hamper aid organizations from scaling up their response.  

South Sudan: UN responds to intercommunal violence and rising tensions in Warrap state 

Moving to South Sudan where the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, UNMISS, responded to deadly intercommunal violence in the greater Tonj area in Warrap state over the weekend.

Peacekeepers were deployed to the region to help stabilise the situation.

“Tensions, however, remain high, and the Mission has a quick reaction force on standby to deter further conflict,” said UN Spokesperson Mr. Dujarric. 

UNMISS is also engaging community leaders and authorities in efforts to restore calm.  

Central Equatoria patrols, mobile court in Unity state

Separately, peacekeepers conducted a two-day patrol in Central Equatoria state to assess the situation in Khor Kaltan/Jebel Iraq following reports of a deadly attack on civilians in late March.

The patrol team met with community representatives and security forces on the ground.  

UNMISS had made several previous attempts to access the area but was denied.

In other developments: an UNMISS-supported mobile court in the town of Leer has concluded its work after hearing 68 civil and criminal cases across several counties in southern Unity state and the Bentiu displacement camp.

This resulted in 31 criminal rulings with 18 convictions, with others acquitted or dismissed, and 29 people released from wrongful or prolonged detention.

Mr. Dujarric explained that “such mobile justice interventions are part of the Mission’s ongoing efforts to strengthen rule of law and access to justice throughout South Sudan.” 

Aid workers, civilians and infrastructure under fire in Ukraine

At least three drone strikes hit humanitarian vehicles in the Ukrainian city of Kherson over the past week, the UN aid coordination office OCHA reported on Monday.

Two incidents involved the same local non-governmental organization (NGO), while another affected a different organization delivering food. Several aid workers were also injured.

Across Ukraine, at least three aid workers were killed and five injured during the first three months of the year, according to humanitarian partners.

OCHA said intensified hostilities over the weekend through Monday morning caused nearly 130 civilian casualties and widespread damage to civilian infrastructure, with the regions of Dnipro and Odesa among those most affected. 

Attacks widespread 

The attacks also led to casualties and damage in seven other regions – Kharkiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Kyiv and Sumy – affecting homes, schools, transport and energy infrastructure. 

Humanitarian partners are providing psychosocial support, hot meals, and repair materials in response. 

Meanwhile, civilians continue to be evacuated from frontline areas in Ukraine.  

Some 1,900 people – including more than 360 children – were evacuated from communities close to the fighting in Donetsk this weekend with the support of humanitarian organizations and local authorities.

Guterres marks South Africa Freedom Day with call to end xenophobia 

Marking South Africa’s Freedom Day on 27 April, UN Secretary-General António Guterres extended his greetings to the nation while expressing deep concern over reported xenophobic attacks and intimidation of foreign nationals. 

In a statement issued by his Spokesperson, the UN chief strongly condemned criminal acts and incitement to violence against migrants in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Province.  

He reminded the international community that South Africa’s own struggle against apartheid was built on a foundation of global and African solidarity. 

No place for hate 

"Violence, vigilantism and all forms of incitement to hatred have no place in an inclusive, democratic society," the Spokesperson said, noting that South Africa’s development has long been shaped by the contributions of people from across the continent. 

While acknowledging complex socio-economic challenges, the Secretary-General welcomed the Government’s commitment to the National Action Plan against Racism and Xenophobia.  

He urged that all investigations into recent violence be prompt, independent, and impartial. 

• World News in Brief