August 15, 2008	Friday	Sha'aban 12, 1429

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday he was concerned about the humanitarian situation, lawlessness and lack of access for aid workers in war-torn parts of Georgia.

He is “extremely concerned by the humanitarian impact of the recent conflict on the civilian population in Georgia, which has suffered loss of life and injury, significant damage to property and infrastructure,” Ban said in a statement issued by his spokeswoman’s office.

Ban said it also has caused a significant displacement of people. He urged “all sides to control forces under their command to ensure that the current state of lawlessness ceases.”

“Large parts of the conflict-affected area, particularly South Ossetia and the Gori region, remain for the most part inaccessible to humanitarian organisations due to ongoing insecurity, lawlessness and other constraints,” he said.

—Reuters