UN says another 170 people rescued from Azovstal steelworks, Mariupol

GENEVA

The UN humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine said Sunday that a new round of civilian evacuations from the Azovstal steelworks and other areas in Mariupol ended with more than 170 people arriving in Zaporizhzhia.

The latest arrivals bring the total number of people who have safely left the besieged city

to over 600 in the past 10 days, said Osnat Lubrani.

"Another round of evacuations of civilians from Azovstal steelworks and other areas around Mariupol has been successfully concluded today," she said.

Lubrani warned, however, that scores of people remain stranded around Mariupol who were unable to join the convoys out.

"I am immensely relieved to confirm that more than 170 people who have endured over 10 weeks of intense shelling and fighting are now able to have some respite in Zaporizhzhia."

Zaporizhzhia is around 220 kilometers (137 miles) from Mariupol.

"It has been possible thanks to the determination of the teams from the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), with whom I have worked hand in hand during the last 10 days."

Close coordination with both the Ukrainian and Russian sides had been vital to ensure the safe carrying out of a complex operation.

"Our work, however, is not yet done," said Lubrani.

"The UN is aware that scores of people who wanted to join the evacuation convoys over the last days were unable to do so."

Lubrani said the UN and the ICRC would continue engaging with both sides to ensure that those who want to leave have the guarantees to do so safely and in the direction of their choice.

At least 3,309 civilians have been killed and 3,493 others injured in Ukraine since Russia launched a war on the country, according to UN estimates. The true toll is feared to be much higher.

More than 5.8 million people have fled to other countries, with some 7.7 million people internally displaced, according to the UN refugee agency.