UN World Food Programme halts operations in Sudan after 3 employees killed in clashes
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The WFP said clashes between the army and paramilitary groups in Sudan have seriously impacted its ability to move aid.
PHOTO: AFP
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CAIRO – The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) said on Sunday it has temporarily halted all operations in Sudan after three of its employees were killed in clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces
“While we review the evolving security situation, we are forced to temporarily halt all operations in Sudan,” said WFP executive director Cindy McCain in a statement.
“WFP is committed to assisting the Sudanese people facing dire food insecurity, but we cannot do our life-saving work if the safety and security of our teams and partners are not guaranteed.”
Three WFP employees were killed and two injured in clashes in Kabkabiya in North Darfur. A WFP spokesman told Reuters that the three dead were all Sudanese.
Ms McCain also said it was difficult for WFP’s staff to operate after a UN Humanitarian Air Service aircraft was “significantly damaged” at Sudan’s Khartoum airport during an exchange of fire on Saturday.
The incident has seriously impacted the organisation’s ability to move humanitarian workers and aid in Sudan, she said.
Earlier on Sunday, the UN condemned the killing of the WFP employees, saying they died while carrying out their duties.
Mr Volker Perthes, head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission, which was established in 2020 to support Sudan’s democratic transition, said in a statement he was also “appalled by reports of projectiles hitting UN and other humanitarian premises, as well as reports of looting of UN and other humanitarian premises in several locations in Darfur”.
A power struggle between the Sudanese army and RSF has so far killed 56 civilians and wounded 595 people, including combatants.
Fighting broke out on Saturday
