The U.N. human rights office Friday expressed its concern over the fate of civilians and Ukrainian servicemen in the Debaltseve area, where heavy fighting has continued despite a February 15 ceasefire.
'It is unclear how many civilians were trapped while fighting raged in the town, how many have been wounded or killed, and whether they now have access to medical and other basic services,' U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) spokesperson Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva.
'We deeply regret also that OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) monitors were not, and still have not been, allowed access to this area. We are also concerned about the resumed shelling of populated areas, in the cities of Donetsk and Mariupol in particular,' Colville said.
According to the spokesperson, it is crucial that the ceasefire is respected and the fighting stops, especially in the built-up areas, and the Minsk Agreements are fully implemented.
'A further increase in the number of recorded casualties is expected in the coming days because reporting on casualties during the pre-ceasefire period, and especially in recent days in Debaltseve, has been considerably delayed,' Colville said.