Ukraine's military has urged pro-Russia separatists to allow civilians to flee cities in the country's besieged east as fears of a humanitarian crisis continue to grow.
The army is continuing its advance on the main rebel-held city of Donetsk, which it has been closing in on since the end of a ceasefire at the start of July.
"Yesterday, forces from the Ukrainian anti-terrorist operation occupied the city of Yasinuvata, 19km north of Donetsk, which is an important railway hub," Ukrainian security spokesman Andriy Lysenko told journalists.
"The seizure of the town allowed for the encirclement of Donetsk from the north and the closing down of an important channel for the supply of weapons and technology to the terrorists."
He hinted that preparations for an offensive on the city were under way, but gave no more details.
Under the advance of the military, the civilian death toll in the conflict has passed 800, with thousands more wounded.
- Rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) also on Tuesday said pro-Kremlin rebels were hindering the treatment of civilian casualties by threatening doctors, hijacking ambulances and stealing medical equipment.
"This appalling disregard of people who are sick or wounded can be deadly and needs to stop immediately."
An earlier HRW report criticised the use of unguided rockets on both sides, especially in heavily populated areas.
"The use of indiscriminate rockets in populated areas violates international humanitarian law, or the laws of war, and may amount to war crimes," the report said.
"If insurgent and Ukrainian government forces are serious about limiting harm to civilians, they should both immediately stop using these weapons in populated areas," said Ole Solvang, senior emergencies researcher for the group.
The army denies responsibility for civilian deaths.
Government forces have made major gains in the east over the past month, and have said they are close to cutting off fighters in Donetsk from the Russian border and their comrades in Luhansk, the rebels' second largest stronghold.
Heavy losses
Ukrainian troops continued to come under fire, however, with Luhansk saying five soldiers had been killed and 14 more injured in recent days.
More than three months of civil war have already claimed more than 1,150 lives.
- Kiev on Monday also reported it was negotiating for the return of some 300 troops who were forced to retreat into Russia after hours of missile and mortar bombardment from across the border.
The military advances against pro-Moscow separatists came as more remains from the downed MH17 plane were flown to the Netherlands for identification, and Malaysian experts joined the Dutch and Australian probe at the site of the July 17 crash.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/08/ukraine-urges-rebels-let-civilians-flee-20148551933968124.html
5/8/14
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Ukraine: l'armée appelle les civils à fuir les zones rebelles...
L'armée ukrainienne a appelé les civils à fuir les zones contrôlées par les séparatistes prorusses, dont le fief Donetsk se trouvait mardi soumis à un étau de plus en plus serré.
"Nous appelons la population pacifique à quitter les zones occupées par les terroristes", qui "pillent la population locale, procèdent à des enlèvements, s'emparent de bâtiments et de véhicules privés", a déclaré lundi un porte-parole militaire ukrainien, Andriï Lyssenko, devant la presse.
A Donetsk, l'état-major ukrainien a demandé aux séparatistes de respecter des cessez-le-feu autour de certaines artères pour permettre le départ des civils.
Les combats s'intensifient ces derniers jours autour de la plus grande ville du bastion houiller du Donbass (un million d'habitants avant les hostilités).
L'armée ukrainienne, qui affirme avoir repris plus de 600 localités en près de quatre mois d'offensive, a revendiqué lundi une nouvelle avancée aux portes de Donetsk avec la prise de Iassynouvata, à une vingtaine de kilomètres au nord.
Selon la mairie, d'intenses combats ont eu lieu lundi à Mariïnka, dans l'immédiate périphérie sud-ouest de la ville.
Kiev a toujours affirmé que sa stratégie était d'isoler les insurgés à Donetsk et à Lougansk afin de les couper de la frontière russe, mais le rapprochement de ses troupes fait craindre à la population une attaque, au risque de combats particulièrement meurtriers.
Le porte-parole militaire a dit n'avoir "aucune information" concernant un assaut en cours. "Des préparatifs sont en cours", s'est-il borné à ajouter.
"La victoire est proche"
Les civils, eux, continuent de fuir en masse. "Nous partons parce que c'est la guerre", a expliqué à la gare de Donetsk Igor, accompagné de sa mère et chargé de sacs, avant de rejoindre des amis dans l'Ouest. "C'est terrible ce qui se passe: ils (les troupes loyalistes, ndlr) sont entrés dans Mariïnka et ont tiré sur tout le monde", a déclaré sa mère, Nelly.
Dans l'autre bastion séparatiste, Lougansk, la mairie, qui a mis en garde pendant le week-end contre une possible catastrophe humanitaire, s'est dite incapable de fournir un nouveau bilan car l'électricité est coupée et les communications téléphoniques ne fonctionnent plus.................................. http://www.rtbf.be/info/monde/detail_ukraine-l-armee-appelle-les-civils-a-fuir-les-zones-rebelles?id=8328132
5/7/14
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