Sudan's Army Denies Airstrike on WFP Aid Convoy

By Kennedy Nalyanya

Sudan's army has denied responsibility for an airstrike on a World Food Programme (WFP) aid convoy in the country’s Darfur region, further escalating the conflict and humanitarian crisis. The convoy, which was delivering vital assistance to a famine-stricken area, was hit in the town of Mellit on Wednesday.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which controls Mellit, quickly blamed the army for the attack. The WFP confirmed that three of the 16 trucks in the convoy were damaged and caught fire, but all staff were reported safe.

This is the latest in a series of attacks on humanitarian missions since a civil war broke out in April 2023 between the army and the RSF. The conflict, now in its second year, has created one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. While the RSF does not have an air force, both sides are known to use drones in attacks.

The WFP condemned the strike, stating that "humanitarian staff and assets must never be a target," and called on both warring parties to respect international humanitarian law. The convoy was heading to a village near Mellit, an area about 56 miles northwest of el-Fasher, which the RSF has besieged for over a year. El-Fasher, the army's last stronghold in Darfur, has seen an increase in fighting in recent weeks.

Both the army and the RSF have been accused of using starvation as a weapon of war by looting food and blocking aid deliveries. In June, five aid workers were killed in a similar attack in el-Fasher.

The ongoing conflict has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people and forced 12 million from their homes, with more than 4.5 million refugees, primarily women and children, fleeing to neighbouring countries.