Five people were killed in a devastating attack on a United Nations food convoy en route to al-Fashir, North Darfur, Sudan, the U.N. reported on Tuesday. The convoy, carrying critical humanitarian aid for families facing starvation, came under assault overnight, further imperiling a region already teetering on the brink of famine.
The joint statement by the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF confirmed that several others were injured, multiple trucks were torched, and essential supplies were destroyed. The agencies condemned the violence and called for an urgent investigation, labeling the attack a gross violation of international humanitarian law.
The 15-truck convoy had travelled over 1,800 kilometers from Port Sudan, with its route disclosed in advance to all conflicting parties. The convoy was still negotiating safe passage to complete its journey when it was ambushed near al-Koma, an area controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to U.N. sources.
The Sudanese military and the RSF—locked in a brutal two-year conflict—have traded blame. The RSF claimed the army carried out an airstrike, while the military accused the RSF of burning the convoy. Reuters was unable to independently verify either claim.
This attack is part of a disturbing trend of escalating violence against humanitarian operations. In recent days, the RSF has reportedly shelled WFP premises in al-Fashir and attacked a hospital in El Obeid, North Kordofan, killing several medics.
Al-Fashir, North Darfur’s capital, has previously reported famine-like conditions. Humanitarian access has been severely limited due to ongoing fighting and blockades imposed by both warring sides, placing hundreds of thousands at risk of malnutrition and starvation.
The U.N. has warned that without immediate aid delivery, the humanitarian catastrophe in al-Fashir will worsen. Aid workers continue to operate under increasingly dangerous conditions, highlighting the urgent need for a ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access.
This latest attack underscores the deadly consequences of the ongoing war, as civilians suffer amidst a collapsing humanitarian system and dwindling hope for peace.
