GENEVA, Switzerland, April 3 (UPI) -- The top U.N. human-rights official expressed concern over the death of Somali civilians killed and injured in the capital during the recent hostilities.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour also called for all sides to respect international law and protect civilians Tuesday, in addition to allowing emergency aid to get to those most in need.
"The High Commissioner urges the parties to respect international humanitarian law and reminds them of their duty to protect the human rights of civilians at all times," said Arbour's spokesman. "This includes granting civilians safe passage and allowing humanitarian aid to reach those who have been affected."
Some 100,000 people have fled Somalia's capital of Mogadishu over the past two months because of the violence. Aggression in the capital has increased since the Transitional Federal Government, backed by Ethiopian forces, chased the Union of Islamic Courts from Mogadishu and much of the rest of the country at the end of last year.
The World Food Program reiterated U.N. calls for all sides to end the violence. The organization also urged that humanitarian agencies be allowed access to deliver aid. Speaking in Geneva, the WFP said there had been delays in the transfer of food because of the continued hijacking of its trucks.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Somalia called on all sides to protect civilians Monday, while Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an immediate end to the violence last Thursday.
