101 civilians evacuated from Mariupol: UN

The UN and Red Cross said Tuesday 101 civilians were evacuated from the tunnels of the Azovstal plant in Ukraine’s battered city of Mariupol, but warned that others remain trapped.   

 “I am pleased and relieved to confirm that 101 civilians have successfully been evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol,” Osnat Lubrani, the UN’s Ukraine humanitarian coordinator said in a statement.   

It was the first completed civilian evacuation from the giant Azovstal steel factory, where Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have for weeks been trapped, hiding as Russian forces besieged and pummelled the city.   

Lubrani said “101 women, men, children and older persons could finally leave the bunkers below the Azovstal steelworks and see the daylight after two months.” The evacuees were brought to the central city of Zaporizhzhia, which is under Ukrainian control.   

The joint UN and Red Cross operation -- agreed after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres visited Moscow and Kyiv -- lasted five days.   

Both organisations warned other civilians remain trapped underneath Azovstal, calling for more “urgent” evacuations.   
ZAPORIZHZHIA AFP, 3 May, 2022-