An aid convoy carrying life-saving assistance for the famine-affected area of North Darfur, Sudan, was attacked on Monday night, killing five humanitarian workers, injuring many more and damaging critical humanitarian supplies.
The World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) condemned the attack on the joint humanitarian convoy and reminded the international community that under humanitarian law, aid must be able to move securely.
"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," the two agencies said in a joint statement.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reiterated this sentiment, saying that the United Nations condemns this "horrendous attack in the strongest possible terms."
'Devastating' attack
The five aid workers killed were all Sudanese contractors working for WFP and UNICEF.
The convoy had travelled over 1,800 kilometres from the city of Port Sudan, located on the Red Sea coast, which has itself endured ongoing drone strikes.
The 15 trucks were carrying vital nutritional supplies to North Darfur, a region in which hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people are at high risk of malnutrition and starvation.
The agencies noted that all parties on the ground had been notified about the convoy and its movements.
"They were 80 kilometres from El Fasher, parked on the side of the road, waiting for clearance, and they were attacked," said Mr. Dujarric.
This would have been the first convoy to reach El Fasher in over a year. In April, the city and the nearby Zamzam displacement camp were attacked, displacing hundreds of thousands, many of whom had already been displaced.
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The attack on the convoy comes amidst a two-year conflict which has ravaged Sudan, displacing over nine million people. Famine has been declared in multiple places, including in El Fasher, and many more regions remain at risk.
Broader attacks on aid
The attack on the convoy comes amidst other attacks on humanitarian operations and civilians and civilian infrastructure in Sudan.
Last week, the WFP premises in El Fasher were bombed and damaged and an international hospital in Al Obeid also experienced a deadly drone strike.
Civilian infrastructure around the country continues to be targeted, including electricity infrastructure in Khartoum. The damage of this infrastructure in the capital has worsened an already spreading cholera outbreak in the city.
WFP and UNICEF reiterated that attacks on humanitarian activities and personnel are unacceptable and must stop immediately.
"Attacks on humanitarian staff, aid, operations as well as civilians and civilian infrastructure in Sudan have continued for far too long with impunity," they said.
