Khartoum, Dec 18 (IANS): The World Food Programme (WFP) has reported that escalating conflict in Sudan is obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid to areas at risk of famine. According to Xinhua News Agency, WFP stated, “Fighting in Um Rawwaba, North Kordofan, has prevented a convoy from reaching famine-risk regions in North and South Kordofan, including Kadugli and Dilling.”
The aid trucks had to retreat to a safer location and are now awaiting rerouting to accessible areas in South Kordofan and Blue Nile state as conditions improve, the statement added.
WFP highlighted that even previously available corridors have become increasingly hazardous in recent weeks due to intensified fighting and heavy shelling.
In October, WFP provided food, cash, and nutritional assistance to 2.8 million people across Sudan. Currently, it is focusing on delivering essential aid to 14 hunger hotspots, many of which are in conflict-affected regions such as Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum, and Gezira, where violence continues to escalate.
In Khartoum, WFP is supporting community kitchens through local partners, aiming to serve up to 100,000 hot meals monthly. It is also expanding cash-based assistance, including piloting a self-registration system for residents of the city.
Meanwhile, the Sudanese government has announced that 28.9 million people in the country are in need of humanitarian aid due to the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which began in mid-April 2023.
