Sudan govt accuses paramilitary forces of blocking UNICEF aid trucks

KHARTOUM — Sudan’s Foreign Ministry has alleged that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had blocked several United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) trucks carrying humanitarian aid en route to El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State.

The Ministry on Friday claimed the RSF intercepted the trucks that were dispatched to address the food and health crisis in displacement camps, particularly targeting malnutrition among children, Xinhua news agency reported.

The RSF was also accused of obstructing humanitarian convoys along the Al-Dabba-Mellit-El Fasher route by deploying forces near the city of Mellit to block and confiscate aid supplies.

This development follows the Sudanese Foreign Ministry’s recent notification to the UN, confirming the government’s consent for the use of the Al-Tina crossing with Chad and the Port Sudan-Atbara-Mellit-El Fasher route for aid transport to the Darfur region.

The Ministry also sanctioned the use of El Fasher airports for aid delivery, should land routes be compromised.

The UN estimates that half of Sudan’s population, nearly 25 million people, require humanitarian aid and protection, with nearly 18 million at risk of severe food scarcity.

Since April 15, 2023, Sudan has experienced violent confrontations between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, resulting in the displacement of around 8.1 million individuals, including 6.3 million internally.

Last month’s UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs situation report indicated that the conflict had claimed nearly 13,900 lives, referencing data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.