Even though fighting between security forces and a group, identified by the Government as the Aqa mul moujahideen, in some villages on the outskirts of Maungdaw township in Myanmar’s Northern Rakhine province appear to have reduced in severity, an atmosphere of fear and tension continues to grip the local population, a spokesperson for the United Nations said today.

After a visit to Bhutan yesterday, actor and director Aamir Khan, a UNICEF Regional Goodwill Ambassador, praised the country’s progress to end malnutrition and recognized young mothers’ efforts to safeguard their children’s health despite high levels of stunting.

A new report released by the United Nations mission in Afghanistan has concluded that the 23 July attack on a large, peaceful demonstration in the country's capital, Kabul, not only deliberately targeted civilians but also was a serious violation of international humanitarian law, which may amount to a war crime.

Concluding a three-day mission to Myanmar today, the top United Nations aid official called on all sides to find peaceful ways to resolve their differences and urged strengthened humanitarian action to support the people affected by violence in the Southeast Asian country.