Latest news with #ElFasher
The National
04-06-2025
- General
- The National
UAE condemns aid convoy attack that killed five in Sudan
The UAE on Wednesday condemned an attack on a convoy in Sudan that killed five aid workers, in what it called a "flagrant violation" of the laws of war. The convoy of 15 lorries carrying food to the famine-stricken city of El Fasher came under attack in North Darfur late on Monday. Five were killed and several others injured, said the World Food Programme and Unicef, the two UN agencies involved. It was unclear who was responsible. El Fasher has been under siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since May last year, and famine conditions have been reported in the city and in nearby displacement camps during Sudan's civil war. The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on both sides in Sudan's war - the army and the RSF - to "respect their obligations" and uphold pledges to protect civilians. The attack was a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law", and aid personnel "must be respected and protected", the ministry said. It called for "immediate steps to protect civilians and facilitate the rapid and unhindered access of essential humanitarian aid through all available means." The convoy had travelled more than 1,800km from the army's wartime capital of Port Sudan, said the agencies involved, in what would have been the UN's first such entry into the city for more than a year. They were "negotiating access" to El Fasher when the attack came.
NHK
04-06-2025
- General
- NHK
Attack on UN humanitarian convoy in Sudan leaves 5 dead
Five members of a United Nations humanitarian convoy have been killed in an attack in western Sudan. The UN says a joint World Food Programme and UNICEF convoy made up of 15 trucks was attacked on Monday in North Darfur. It says the convoy was on its way to the city of El Fasher for the first time in over a year, loaded with nutrition supplies and food aid. The UN says five Sudanese aid workers died in the attack, multiple of its trucks were burned, and critical humanitarian supplies were damaged. In Sudan, fighting has continued since 2023 between the country's military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. According to a non-governmental organization, more than 28,000 people have died. The UN says at least 12 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes. Reuters news agency reports that the army and the RSF have released statements blaming each other for the attack. A UN spokesperson says the United Nations condemns "in the strongest possible terms this horrendous act of violence against humanitarian personnel who literally put their lives at risk in an attempt to reach vulnerable children and families in the famine-impacted areas of Sudan." The spokesperson points out that all attacks on humanitarian personnel, their facilities and their vehicles are violations under international humanitarian law and must stop. He says the UN is calling for an urgent investigation and for the perpetrators to be held to account.
LBCI
03-06-2025
- General
- LBCI
Five aid workers killed in Sudan attack on humanitarian convoy: UN
Five aid workers have been killed and several others wounded in an attack on a convoy delivering aid to western Sudan's besieged city of El-Fasher, the United Nations said Tuesday. The convoy organized by the World Food Program and UNICEF came under attack on Monday near Al-Koma village in North Darfur state, the U.N. agencies said in a joint statement, adding that "multiple trucks were burned and critical humanitarian supplies were damaged." AFP
Telegraph
03-06-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Five dead after UN food convoy attacked in Sudan
Five aid workers were killed and several more hurt in an attack on a United Nations convoy taking aid to a famine-stricken Sudanese city. The joint convoy by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN's children's fund, (Unicef) was struck on Monday night as it tried to negotiate access to El Fasher in Darfur. Several trucks were burned and five convoy members were killed in the attack, though it was not immediately clear who was behind it. The Sudanese army and its paramilitary enemy, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), traded accusations of responsibility, and a UN statement did not say who was to blame. The army said the convoy was targeted by RSF drones, while the RSF said it had been hit by government aircraft. The convoy of 15 lorries had driven more than 1,1000 miles from the coastal aid hub at Port Sudan and had stopped at Al Koma as access to El Fasher was being negotiated. A joint statement said: 'As is standard with our humanitarian convoys, the route was shared in advance, and parties on the ground were notified and aware of the location of the trucks. 'Under international humanitarian law, aid convoys must be protected, and parties have the obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need. 'Both agencies demand an immediate end to attacks on humanitarian personnel, their facilities and vehicles – a violation under international humanitarian law.' El Fasher has been besieged by RSF forces for more than a year, and is the only government-held city within the Darfur region. Aid agencies report terrible hunger and regular bombardment inside the city, but have struggled to get aid inside because of a lack of safe passage across the front lines. Both sides in the war are accused of halting aid deliveries to enemy territory. The UN agencies demanded an urgent investigation and called for the perpetrators to be held to account. 'This latest incident follows a series of attacks on humanitarian operations over the past two years, including last week's bombardment of WFP's premises in El Fasher which damaged a workshop, office building and clinic.' Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023, when a long rivalry between the de-facto president, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his deputy, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagaloa, known as Hemedti, flared into civil conflict. Fighting between the army and Hemdeti's RSF militia has turned much of the country of nearly 50 million into a war zone. Fighting has since cut supply lines and put much of the country's agricultural land out of use. Since the war began, the war has killed tens of thousands, uprooted 13 million and created the world's largest hunger and displacement crises. Monday's attack came as the UN's refugee arm said four million people had now fled across Sudan's borders because of the fighting. The exodus has caused knock-on crises in Chad and South Sudan. Eujin Byun, UNHCR spokeswoman, said: 'It's a devastating milestone in what is the world's most damaging displacement crisis.' 'If the conflict continues, thousands more people will continue to flee, putting regional and global stability at stake.'
Sky News
03-06-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Five killed, several injured after attack on UN aid convoy in Sudan
Five people have been killed and several more injured after an attack on an aid convoy in the Sudanese region of North Darfur. The number of dead was revealed in a statement from the World Food Programme and UNICEF. Earlier, it was reported that a UN convoy delivering food into El Fasher in North Darfur came under attack overnight with initial reports indicating there had been "multiple casualties". The latest statement said: "The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF condemn an attack on a joint humanitarian convoy near Al Koma, North Darfur, last night. "Five members of the convoy were killed, and several more people were injured. Multiple trucks were burned, and critical humanitarian supplies were damaged. "The convoy, made up of 15 trucks, was attempting to reach children and families in famine-affected El Fasher with life-saving food and nutrition supplies. Following months of escalating violence, hundreds of thousands of people in El Fasher - many of them children - are at high risk of malnutrition and starvation if supplies do not urgently reach them. "As is standard with our humanitarian convoys, the route was shared in advance, and parties on the ground were notified and aware of the location of the trucks. Under international humanitarian law, aid convoys must be protected, and parties have the obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need. "Both agencies demand an immediate end to attacks on humanitarian personnel, their facilities and vehicles - a violation under international humanitarian law. "We call for an urgent investigation and for the perpetrators to be held to account. "We extend our condolences to the families of those killed and our heartfelt sympathy and support to all those injured. It is devastating the supplies have not reached the vulnerable children and families they were intended to. The convoy had travelled over 1,800km from Port Sudan, and we were negotiating access to complete the journey to El Fasher when it was attacked. "This latest incident follows a series of attacks on humanitarian operations over the past two years, including last week's bombardment of WFP's premises in El Fasher which damaged a workshop, office building and clinic. "Attacks on humanitarian staff, aid, operations, as well as civilians and civilian infrastructure in Sudan have continued for far too long with impunity. WFP and UNICEF colleagues remain on the ground despite the insecurity, but call for safe, secure operating conditions and for international humanitarian law to be respected by all parties. The lives of millions in Sudan, including in locations like El Fasher in Darfur, depend on it."
