An assault on a UN aid convoy in Sudan has resulted in the deaths of five personnel, escalating concerns over the safety of humanitarian efforts in the war-torn region. The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces has led to severe humanitarian repercussions, with millions displaced.
Deadly Attack on UN Aid Convoy Highlights Sudan’s Dire Situation
Deadly Attack on UN Aid Convoy Highlights Sudan’s Dire Situation
Five UN aid workers killed in an attack on a convoy in North Darfur amid ongoing civil conflict and humanitarian crisis.
Five members of a United Nations convoy delivering humanitarian aid to the besieged city of el-Fasher in Sudan have tragically lost their lives in a recent attack, as confirmed by UN officials. Several other individuals sustained injuries, with multiple trucks reportedly set ablaze during the assault, which occurred on Monday night close to el-Koma, situated in North Darfur.
In a grim escalation of tensions, both the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Army have accused each other of conducting the drone attack on the convoy. Although the UN has yet to release detailed information on how the assault unfolded, they are calling for an urgent investigation and for those responsible to face justice.
The convoy consisted of 15 trucks dispatched by the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN children's agency, Unicef, aiming to deliver critical food and nutrition supplies to children and families grappling with extreme hunger in el-Fasher. The heading was particularly devastating as the city is critically underserved, caught amid the ongoing civil war.
El-Fasher remains the last significant location in North Darfur under military control, yet residents and army personnel have endured persistent attacks from the RSF for over a year now. In a joint statement, the WFP and Unicef expressed profound regret that their aid mission to support starving communities was thwarted.
Local volunteer responders from the el-Koma Emergency Room shared a distressing video on social media depicting a charred truck filled with food supplies, accusing the Sudanese army of the aggressive act. El-Koma, currently under RSF control, has seen repeated instances of violence amid the conflict between the two military factions.
Amid these escalating hostilities, it was reported that at least 89 individuals were either killed or injured after airstrikes conducted by the Sudanese army struck a busy market in el-Koma just the day prior to the convoy attack. The army has not responded to these allegations.
The ongoing civil war, which ignited over two years ago, has catalyzed one of the worst humanitarian crises globally, displacing over four million people, according to a statement by Eujin Byun, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency. The conflict arose from a bitter struggle for power between the army and the RSF, which previously collaborated in a coup to disrupt Sudan's transition toward democracy.
