At least 30 civilians were killed overnight on Thursday in Beni Territory, North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to local sources cited by the UN aid coordination office (OCHA).
During the attack, attributed by local authorities to extremist rebel group the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) - according to news reports - homes were burnt and a health centre was destroyed, killing several patients.
The insecurity has also disrupted the Ebola response. People who had been in contact with Ebola patients reportedly fled an observation centre, and response teams were forced to suspend operations, making it harder to track infections and contain the outbreak.
Authorities have reported more than 10,700 confirmed cases and over 5,200 deaths.
Containing the outbreak
The UN called on all parties to protect civilians, respect international humanitarian law and ensure safe, unhindered access for humanitarian and health workers, warning that continued violence is costing lives and undermining efforts to contain the outbreak.
Asked about burial practices during the ongoing outbreak, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters in New York they were being addressed through community outreach.
He noted that disinformation about the work of frontline health workers had led to attacks on staff.
He praised the courage of workers, "most of whom are Congolese", who continue to battle the disease and save lives amid the fighting between armed groups which has roiled the region for decades.
Displaced Ukrainians return home but most do not say: IOM
Ukrainians displaced by the war continue to make frequent journeys back to their country without returning permanently, according to a new study published Friday.
Commissioned by the UN International Organization for Migration ( IOM ), the report found that nearly nine in 10 displaced Ukrainians crossing back from Poland planned to stay in their home country for no more than 30 days.
Respondents had spent almost three years abroad - on average - yet ties to home remain strong. More than three-quarters had crossed the border at least three times since being displaced.
"For many Ukrainians, going home means seeing family, getting medical care or spending a few days in a place they have missed for years," said Arthur Erken , IOM Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia.
A life in between
But he added that "a visit is not the same as being able to stay. Many are still living between their home country and where they reside, making repeated journeys to hold on to the people and places that matter to them."
Most visits back to Ukraine were to reunite with family, with 85 per cent intending to return to their region of origin.
However, only eight per cent planned to remain in Ukraine for more than a month.
Security concerns, damage to housing, limited income opportunities and healthcare needs, continue to hinder sustainable returns.
Latest UN data indicates that about 5.9 million Ukrainians remain displaced abroad as refugees.
UN chief: Charter rules apply to all, with 'no double standards'
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Friday against the normalisation of force and the erosion of international law, in a speech at Spain's University of Salamanca less than two months before his term ends.
"The unlawful use of force is becoming normalised," he said, after receiving an honorary doctorate. "Borders are being redrawn by force of arms. Too many States take an à la carte approach to international law."
From Ukraine to Sudan, the Sahel and Gaza, civilians are the first to suffer, Mr. Guterres said, while "every crime that goes unpunished paves the way for the next."
Live by the rules
"The Charter lays down the same rule for everyone," he said. "No exceptions. No double standards."
He invoked Francisco de Vitoria, the theologian who taught at Salamanca in the 16th century and is seen as a forerunner of international law. His legacy endures, the UN chief said: "Power must be subject to the law."
Mr. Guterres called the lack of a permanent Security Council seat for Africa and for Latin America and the Caribbean "a historic injustice that we must rectify". He also noted that military spending is breaking records while aid is plummeting.
"Terms of office come and go," he said. "The struggle for peace, dignity and justice continues."
