A United Nations aid convoy bound for the besieged city of El Fasher in Sudan’s North Darfur was attacked, killing five personnel and injuring others while destroying critical supplies, the U.N. announced this week. The convoy, carrying food and aid for 100,000 people, was the first intended for El Fasher in over a year.
The attack occurred late Monday after the 15-truck convoy—operated by the World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF—had stopped overnight in El Koma, a market town in North Darfur, following a 1,100-mile journey from Port Sudan. Many trucks were burned, damaging vital supplies meant for civilians facing famine due to Sudan’s two-year civil war.
El Fasher, the last major Darfur city held by Sudan’s military, has been under assault by the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who control much of western and southern Sudan. The U.N. stated it had coordinated the convoy’s route with local forces and was negotiating safe passage when the attack happened.
This incident highlights the dangers aid workers face in Sudan, where over 13 million people have been displaced. Recent violence includes RSF shelling of a WFP warehouse in El Fasher and an airstrike by Sudanese forces on El Koma, an RSF stronghold, which caused numerous casualties.
UNICEF confirmed its two trucks, carrying nutrition and medical supplies for malnourished children, survived the attack and will deliver aid locally. “We remain committed to staying and delivering,” said a UNICEF spokesperson. The U.N. condemned the attack, stressing the urgent need for humanitarian access to prevent further suffering.
