China to provide additional emergency aid to Myanmar following earthquake: spokesman

China has pledged additional emergency humanitarian aid to Myanmar following the devastating earthquake, aimed at supporting ongoing relief efforts with a focus on urgent needs such as medical supplies and reconstruction, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian announced on Thursday.

During a press briefing in Beijing, Lin outlined the details of the aid and summarized China's immediate involvement in the search and rescue operations following the March 28 earthquake.

"Since the outbreak of the earthquake, Chinese rescue forces have rallied around and saved lives against time. China was the first country that announced emergency assistance to Myanmar, sent rescue forces to the country, and set up settlement centers in the affected areas. The Chinese rescue team found the first trapped survivor. More than 30 rescue teams of over 600 members rushed to Myanmar for rescue work and we offered several batches of supplies, which demonstrates China's speed, contribution and kindness. This is warmly welcomed and appreciated by the people in Myanmar," said Lin.

Lin also emphasized the significance of the "pauk-phaw" friendship -- a Myanmar term for siblings - in the context of China's ongoing support.

"Myanmar's disaster response work has moved to epidemic prevention and control, as well as recovery and reconstruction. As a friendly neighbor and 'pauk-phaw' brother, China has decided to send another batch of emergency humanitarian supplies, which include the most needed refined oil, prefabricated houses, operating rooms, medicines, and vaccines. China will also dispatch medical and epidemic prevention experts for treatment and disinfection, as well as experts to examine, assess, reinforce, and repair affected buildings and cultural relics. A merciless disaster brings the best out of humanity. China will continue to promote the China-Myanmar 'pauk-phaw' friendship and, upholding the spirit of the China-Myanmar community with a shared future, help the people in Myanmar overcome difficulties and rebuild their homes," Lin added.

The earthquake, which struck Mandalay on March 28, has claimed 3,649 lives, injured 5,018 people, and left 145 missing, according to the Information Team of Myanmar's State Administration Council on Wednesday.

China to provide additional emergency aid to Myanmar following earthquake: spokesman

The United Nations on Thursday warned about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in war-ravaged Sudan, and called for an end of the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Addressing a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York City, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the UN continued to get "very disturbing" reports from Sudan, especially from North Darfur.

"In the past three weeks alone, the confirmed number of civilians killed in North Darfur was at least 542," the spokesman said, citing a statement from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued on the same day.

In the statement, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned that "the horror unfolding in Sudan knows no bounds," adding that the attacks launched three days ago by the RSF on the besieged city of El Fasher and Abu Shouk camp killed at least 40 civilians, bringing the total death toll on the past three weeks to at least 542.

"The actual death toll is likely much higher," said the UN official.

Turk expressed his "all the greater" concerns for civilians trapped amid dire conditions in and around El Fasher as the RSF warned of "bloodshed" ahead of battles with the SAF and their associated armed movements, urging all out efforts to protect the civilians.

Reports of extrajudicial executions in the Khartoum state are also extremely disturbing, Turk pointed out, stressing that deliberately taking the life of a civilian or anyone no longer directly taking part in hostilities is a war crime.

The official said that he had personally alerted both leaders of the RSF and the SAF to the catastrophic human rights consequences of the war.

"These harrowing consequences are a daily, lived reality for millions of Sudanese. It is well past time for this conflict to stop," he said in the statement.

The SAF and RSF have been fighting a war since April 2023 that has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced 14 million others, according to the UN and local authorities.

UN calls for end to conflict in war-torn Sudan