Ajit Karn
According to an official statement, the World Food Programme has halts all operations in Sudan after three of its employees were killed in clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Cindy McCain, executive director of the United Nations agency, announced in a statement on Sunday that all operations in Sudan have been halts pending a review of the security situation.
“WFP is committed to assisting the Sudanese people facing dire food insecurity,” McCain said, adding, “but we cannot perform our lifesaving work if the safety and security of our teams and partners cannot be guaranteed.” All parties must reach an agreement that guarantees the safety of humanitarian workers on the ground and enables the continuation of life-saving humanitarian aid to the people of Sudan. They remain our primary concern.”
Additionally, the Executive Director of the United Nations agency stated that any loss of life during humanitarian service is “unacceptable.” In addition, she demanded “immediate steps to guarantee the safety of those who remain.”
According to the statement, McCain emphasized that threats to WFP teams make it impossible for them to operate safely and effectively in the country and carry out the vital work of the UN agency.
In a separate incident on Saturday, a WFP-managed UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) aircraft was severely damaged during an exchange of gunfire at Khartoum International Airport, severely hindering the WFP’s ability to transport humanitarian personnel and aid within the country.
Media reported that at least 56 people have died and nearly 600 have been injured as a result of clashes between the Sudanese military and the country’s primary paramilitary force, which broke out after months of tensions.
Media was told by eyewitnesses in the capital city of Khartoum that combat intensified after Sunday morning prayers, accompanied by loud noises and explosions. There have also been reports of battles in the eastern city of Port Sudan, hundreds of miles distant.
According to the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, at least 56 people have been slain and nearly 600 injured in the clashes, as reported by media.
The leader of Sudan’s paramilitary forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, claims to have seized the majority of Khartoum’s official sites following Saturday’s military confrontations.
“The Rapid Support Forces control more than 90 percent of strategic sites in Khartoum,” said Dagalo in an interview with Sky News Arabia.
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The country’s military commander, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, refuted Dagalo’s claims and stated that the military has maintained control over government websites.
