UN Reports: Food Aid Deliveries Back on Track in Darfur After Two Months of Obstruction
The United Nations has initiated food distribution in Sudan’s conflict-affected Darfur province, marking a critical step in addressing widespread starvation amidst the ongoing war. Following two successful cross-border operations from Chad in late March, a convoy carrying 1,300 tonnes of supplies arrived via the Adre border crossing into West and Central Darfur. Despite this progress, the population still faces dire food shortages, necessitating further assistance.
Pierre Honnorat, the WFP’s Chad country director, emphasized the urgency of cross-border operations, highlighting the significant suffering experienced by people in Darfur. With millions facing acute hunger in Sudan, particularly in Darfur where intense fighting persists, humanitarian corridors are deemed essential to reach those in need.
The conflict, ongoing for over a year between military and paramilitary forces in Sudan, has exacerbated one of the world’s most severe hunger crises. Approximately 18 million people, a third of the population, are at risk of acute hunger. In Darfur, the situation is particularly dire, with the U.N. warning of the possibility of 222,000 children dying from malnutrition without urgent aid.
The violence in Darfur has been marked by brutal attacks on ethnic African civilians by Arab-dominated Rapid Support Forces, evoking memories of the 2003 genocide where hundreds of thousands were killed, and millions displaced. Both sides have been accused of committing war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
Furthermore, the conflict has spilled into neighbouring Chad, with over half a million refugees from Sudan seeking shelter there, bringing the total refugee population to 1.1 million. The influx of refugees has strained resources, with aid for all refugees in Chad set to run out soon, according to a U.N. spokesperson.
