The Sudanese Foreign Ministry, on Friday, accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of seizing several trucks loaded with humanitarian aid intended for the city of Al Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.
In a statement, the ministry reported that the RSF intercepted United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) trucks en route to Al Fasher, aiming to alleviate the food and health crisis in the displaced persons camps.
The ministry also highlighted that the RSF has begun to carry out its publicly announced threats to prevent the arrival of humanitarian aid convoys through the El Daein – Mellit – Al Fasher route. This action includes blocking the convoys and confiscating the aid.
Moreover, the Foreign Ministry accused the RSF of escalating its attacks on villages in the states of Gezira, and North and South Kordofan. Specifically, in Gezira state alone, the RSF attacked 28 villages in the past two weeks, killing 43 civilians.
The RSF also looted the properties and food crops of these villages, turning a large number of residents into displaced persons and refugees.
Minawi Arko Minawi, the governor of the Darfur region, announced via his X account (formerly Twitter) last Wednesday that the regional government had met with UN and local organizations operating in Sudan. They agreed to work together to provide the necessary facilities to expedite the delivery of humanitarian needs to the region’s population.
Minawi disclosed new routes from the Red Sea coastal city to deliver humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict in Darfur.
These routes would pass through the city of El Daein in North state to Al Fasher in North Darfur, with additional routes to be arranged in coordination with the organizations and appointed governors.
However, the RSF rejected the agreement announced by the Darfur governor, insisting on “the customary practice in wartime, which requires the transport and delivery of humanitarian aid to be agreed upon between the warring parties or between the organizations and the parties wishing to offer relief and the party controlling the areas where relief is to be delivered,” according to their statement.
This standoff further complicates the already dire humanitarian situation in Darfur, highlighting the challenges in delivering much-needed aid to conflict-affected regions.