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The Security Council this evening strongly condemned the kidnapping and murder by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists of “scores” of Sunni tribesmen whose bodies were found in mass graves in Anbar province, and once again urged the world to unite in a “common effort” to defeat the group and “stamp out” the violence and hatred it espouses.

Outraged by the violence directed against civilians in Syria, including the reported dropping of barrel bombs on a displaced persons camp in the war-torn country’s northern region, which killed dozens of people, the Security Council this evening strongly condemned such acts, and reminded all the parties of their international legal obligations to protect civilians.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) extracted 30 civilians from the Rubkona airstrip yesterday and brought them to the Protection of Civilians site in the UN compound, the Secretary-General said today.

Technology can help fuel Africa's development, facilitate peace and secure the continent's future, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, as he wrapped up his trip to Kenya with a visit to a technology hub in the country's capital of Nairobi.

The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Ebola, David Nabarro, appealed today for the global response to the deadly virus to be sustained “until every last case is contained and treated,” as the United Nations health agency recommended more protective measures for health workers battling the disease on the frontlines of the outbreak.

As his special envoy arrived in Burkina Faso this morning following the country’s deteriorating security situation, the Secretary-General noted today the resignation of President Blaise Compaoré and continues to follow events there with great concern.

The world is changing and United Nations peace operations must change with it if they are to remain an indispensable and effective tool in promoting international peace and security, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, announcing a new blue ribbon panel to assess the current and future needs of the Organization’s peacekeeping architecture.

Fresh fighting in the Central African Republic (CAR) has aggravated the humanitarian situation across the country, UN humanitarian officials warned today, adding that amid the upsurge in violence, aid workers were now facing unprecedented attacks.

The United Nations human rights office today expressed regret over a recent Singapore Supreme Court ruling to uphold a law criminalizing consensual same-sex relations between adult men, calling the directive a “missed opportunity” to strike down the law.

Despite mounting insecurity in border areas between Cameroon and Nigeria, where thousands of Nigerian refugees have sought refuge in the past weeks after fleeing from insurgent attacks, the UN refugee agency said it was stepping up efforts to continue to expedite their transfer.