At least three staff members of the World Food Programme (WFP) have been killed in the ongoing clash between the army and paramilitary forces in Sudan.
“I am appalled and heartbroken by the tragic deaths of three WFP employees on Saturday 15 April in violence in Kabkabiya, North Darfur while carrying out their life-saving duties on the front lines of the global hunger crisis,” WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain said in a statement.
She added that two other employees were also injured in the same incident.
She noted that the families of the team members have been informed.
Ms McCain said that any loss of life in humanitarian service is unacceptable demanding immediate steps to guarantee the safety of those who remain.
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“Aid workers are neutral and should never be a target. Threats to our teams make it impossible to operate safely and effectively in the country and carry out WFP’s critical work,” she said.
In another incident within the same period, one WFP-managed UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) aircraft was also significantly damaged at Khartoum International Airport during an exchange of gunfire on Saturday, seriously impacting WFP’s ability to move humanitarian workers and aid within the country.
She added that the food programme is now forced to temporarily halt all operations in Sudan while it reviews the evolving security situation.
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“WFP is committed to assisting the Sudanese people facing dire food insecurity, but we cannot do our lifesaving work if the safety and security of our teams and partners are not guaranteed,” she added.
She urged all parties to come to an agreement that ensures the safety of humanitarian workers on the ground and enables the continued delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to the people of Sudan who remain a top priority.
About 16 million people, a third of Sudan’s population, need humanitarian aid.
Situation in Sudan
PREMIUM TIMES reported how fighting erupted in Khartoum on Saturday between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary group leading to the death of at least 56 people and 595 others including combatants injured.
Sudan’s paramilitary chief Mohamed Dagalo claimed to have seized most of Khartoum’s (capital of Sudan) official sites after clashes erupted between his armed group and the country’s military.
The country’s military leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, disputed the former’s claim, saying the military continues to maintain control over government sites.
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