“The World Food Program is committed to helping the Sudanese people who face severe food insecurity, but we cannot do our life-saving work without ensuring the safety and security of our teams and partners,” the statement read.
“Life Saving Tasks”
Staff of the United Nations World Food Program were killed in a firefight between the warring factions at an airport in the Darfur region in the west of the country. Two other personnel were seriously injured. Vehicles of United Nations agencies were also looted.
The UN condemned the deadly attack on the employees. According to Volker Perthes, the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy to Sudan, the three died while carrying out their “rescue” duties. “I have also been extremely shocked by reports of shells hitting the United Nations and other humanitarian buildings, as well as reports of looting of these buildings in various locations in Darfur,” Perthes said.
Fighting, explosions and bombings
Sudan was rocked on Saturday by violence between the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The fighting took place, among others, at the international airport of the capital Khartoum, the presidential palace and at the Sudanese state broadcaster. Sunday there are still explosions and shelling. According to doctors, dozens of fighters and 56 civilians have already been killed by the violence. Hundreds of others were injured.