Mines claims more lives, Malanje shelled

The entry into force of the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines this week has not prevented people in Angola losing their lives and limbs, the UN Humanitarian Coordination Unit (UCAH) reported on Thursday. It said “several people” had been killed or maimed by landmines in recent days, but no figures were immediately available. In its weekly situation report on the crisis in Angola, it also cited widespread fighting in the central highlands city of Huambo and around another besieged, government-controlled city, Malanje. The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) seeking shelter had increased in both cities putting further pressure on the local population and humanitarian agencies. “Fighting and general insecurity around Malanje have increased human suffering and continue to prevent humanitarian assistance from being fully carried out,” UCAH said. “The heavy shelling (by opposition UNITA rebels) has continued, Air operations have thus not been able to resume. If the situation persists, it will become increasingly difficult to distribute food in Malanje for lack of implementing partners.” A bridge on the Malanje-Luanda road blown up last week had been “temporarily repaired”. In Humabo, increased insecurity had forced the postponement of a number of joint assessment missions to outlying areas which had been planned by the government, UN agencies, and NGOs. “The same situation has prevailed in other areas of the country preventing accurate knowledge of the humanitarian situation in those areas,” it said. “However, UCAH and other humanitarian agencies have continued to strive for access to all areas where security permits.”