A UN convoy delivering aid to North Darfur was targeted in an attack that resulted in multiple casualties. With conflicting accounts from the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces, the incident underscores the escalating humanitarian crisis amidst ongoing civil war in Sudan.
Assault on UN Aid Convoy in Sudan Highlights Dire Humanitarian Crisis
Assault on UN Aid Convoy in Sudan Highlights Dire Humanitarian Crisis
UN aid trucks face violent attack in North Darfur, leading to casualties and tensions between warring factions.
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UN aid trucks delivering critical supplies to the conflict-ridden region of North Darfur in Sudan have been ambushed, resulting in initial reports of multiple casualties, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the United Nations. Tragically, the Sudanese government announced that the assault, which they attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—a contentious paramilitary faction involved in a prolonged civil war—led to the deaths of "guards, drivers, and civilians."
Conversely, the RSF shifted the blame onto the army, claiming responsibility for the violence. The attack occurred in el-Koma, a town where UN trucks were stationed, awaiting departure to el-Fasher, a besieged city that is grappling with severe famine conditions. This location serves as the final significant territory in North Darfur still under military control, facing consistent assaults from the RSF for more than a year.
According to RSF spokesperson Basha Tabiq, four members of the UN convoy were killed, with two more sustaining injuries during the assault on Monday night. An emergency response group, the el-Koma Emergency Room, posted a video of a charred truck laden with supplies on social media, asserting that "Sudanese army drones" were responsible for the attack.
The RSF controls el-Koma, a region notorious for frequent altercations between the paramilitary group and the army; these skirmishes have claimed numerous civilian lives and damaged essential infrastructure. On Sunday, the el-Koma Emergency Room reported that Sudanese army airstrikes had resulted in at least 89 casualties in town, specifically citing strikes that targeted a busy market. Thus far, the army has not released a statement to contest these allegations.
Since the outbreak of the civil war, which ignited over two years ago due to a bitter succession struggle between the army and the RSF, more than four million individuals have fled their homes, according to UN refugee agency spokesperson Eujin Byun. The factional conflict escalated following the duo's joint coup, which aimed to thwart Sudan's movement towards democracy but ultimately led to intensified division amongst its leaders.
UN aid trucks delivering critical supplies to the conflict-ridden region of North Darfur in Sudan have been ambushed, resulting in initial reports of multiple casualties, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the United Nations. Tragically, the Sudanese government announced that the assault, which they attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—a contentious paramilitary faction involved in a prolonged civil war—led to the deaths of "guards, drivers, and civilians."
Conversely, the RSF shifted the blame onto the army, claiming responsibility for the violence. The attack occurred in el-Koma, a town where UN trucks were stationed, awaiting departure to el-Fasher, a besieged city that is grappling with severe famine conditions. This location serves as the final significant territory in North Darfur still under military control, facing consistent assaults from the RSF for more than a year.
According to RSF spokesperson Basha Tabiq, four members of the UN convoy were killed, with two more sustaining injuries during the assault on Monday night. An emergency response group, the el-Koma Emergency Room, posted a video of a charred truck laden with supplies on social media, asserting that "Sudanese army drones" were responsible for the attack.
The RSF controls el-Koma, a region notorious for frequent altercations between the paramilitary group and the army; these skirmishes have claimed numerous civilian lives and damaged essential infrastructure. On Sunday, the el-Koma Emergency Room reported that Sudanese army airstrikes had resulted in at least 89 casualties in town, specifically citing strikes that targeted a busy market. Thus far, the army has not released a statement to contest these allegations.
Since the outbreak of the civil war, which ignited over two years ago due to a bitter succession struggle between the army and the RSF, more than four million individuals have fled their homes, according to UN refugee agency spokesperson Eujin Byun. The factional conflict escalated following the duo's joint coup, which aimed to thwart Sudan's movement towards democracy but ultimately led to intensified division amongst its leaders.
