UN: Operation underway to evacuate civilians

United Nations, May 6 (AP): The United Nations says a third operation is underway to evacuate civilians from Mariupol's besieged steel plant and the city, which is surrounded by Russian force.

UN: Operation underway to evacuate civilians

United Nations, May 6 (AP): The United Nations says a third operation is underway to evacuate civilians from Mariupol's besieged steel plant and the city, which is surrounded by Russian forces.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the UN Security Council on Thursday that a third evacuation is taking place and UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said its aim is to evacuate more civilians from Mariupol and the sprawling Azovstal steel plant.

Guterres said 101 civilians were evacuated from the Azovstal plant along with 59 more from a neighbouring area in the first operation that ended Tuesday. He said that in the second operation, which was completed Wednesday night, more than 320 civilians were evacuated from the city of Mariupol and surrounding areas.

The secretary-general negotiated the agreement for civilian evacuations from besieged areas including Mariupol with the presidents of Russia and Ukraine. Guterres expressed hope that continued cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the two governments "will lead to more humanitarian pauses to allow civilians safe passage from the fighting and aid to reach those in critical need." Griffiths told a UN pledging conference for Ukraine in Warsaw, Poland, earlier Thursday that a convoy left for Mariupol on Thursday and expects to arrive Friday morning and hopes to evacuate civilians from the Azovstal plant. (AP) DIV DIV

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