UN rights chief terms Mariupol 'most deadliest' place as 1348 civilian deaths get verified

The UN rights chief lamented the extent of death and destruction in Ukraine’s port city of Mariupol and stated the grim pictures clearly exhibit the war crimes committed by the Russian forces in the war-torn country. While speaking before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Michelle Bachelet said the evidence found by the UN agency suggests serious international law violations by the Russian troops. "The intensity and extent of hostilities, destruction and death and injury strongly suggest that serious violations of international humanitarian law and gross violations of international human rights law have occurred," she said. 

According to Bachelet, Russian armed forces assumed full control over Mariupol, except for the Azovstal plant area in the last week of April and stressed the UN agency found that more than 90% of residential buildings were damaged or destroyed in the region. Besides, she claimed that her staff had verified 1,348 civilian deaths in the city, including 70 children. Citing the report of UNHCR, she said around 3,50,000 people left the city amid fears of being killed. The UN rights chief said that the deaths were caused by air strikes, tank and artillery shelling and small arms and light weapons during street fighting. She said that the actual death toll of hostilities on civilians is likely higher than it appears.

Bachelet terms Ukraine's theatre attack most "emblematic examples" of the harm caused to civilians

The UN rights chief noted that the humanitarian situation is devastating, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the ongoing conflict. Bachelet recalled how a Russian air attack on the Mariupol drama theatre on March 16 killed hundreds of women and children. "The theatre had hundreds of civilians hiding inside with signs clearly marked “children”, visible from the sky. It stands out among the very deadliest and most emblematic examples of the harm caused to civilians.

She said that the local authorities have found a number of bodies in yards, streets, parks, and apartments. "Many are still to be buried," according to Bachelet. Calling the current situation direr, she underscored that a shattered and depleted city is left, with its remaining residents struggling daily with limited access to basic utilities and social services, such as medical care. 
"People cannot leave and return to the city freely, including those who left Mariupol in April or March," she noted.

Image: AP