Sudan’s army has denied carrying out an airstrike that destroyed part of a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy delivering lifesaving aid to famine-hit communities in Darfur, intensifying fears for civilians trapped in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accused the army of bombing the convoy in Mellit, a town under RSF control, on Wednesday. A United Nations agency confirmed a drone strike hit the 16-vehicle convoy, setting three trucks ablaze. No aid workers were injured, according to WFP.
Sudan has been gripped by a devastating civil war since April 2023, when a violent power struggle erupted between the army and the RSF. The conflict has left tens of thousands dead, displaced more than 12 million people, and forced 4.5 million refugees—mostly women and children—into neighboring countries.
Both sides have been accused of using starvation as a weapon of war, either by blocking aid deliveries or looting food supplies. Humanitarian operations have repeatedly come under attack, with five aid workers killed in el-Fasher in June.
Growing humanitarian emergency in Darfur
The convoy was bound for a famine-affected village near Mellit, about 90 kilometers (56 miles) northwest of el-Fasher, the last army-held city in Darfur and a critical flashpoint in the war. The RSF has tightened its siege on el-Fasher in recent weeks, escalating clashes that have left civilians increasingly vulnerable.
“The attack is the latest in a disturbing pattern of strikes on humanitarian aid,” WFP said in a statement. “Humanitarian staff and assets must never be a target.”
Although the RSF lacks an air force, both sides have deployed drones, further complicating efforts to assign responsibility for the strike.
International concern deepens
The conflict has triggered international alarm, with aid agencies warning that famine is imminent in parts of Sudan unless relief corridors are protected. Rights groups have also accused both factions of committing war crimes, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and deliberate starvation tactics.
As the war enters its second year, Darfur remains one of the most volatile battlegrounds. The fate of millions hinges on whether humanitarian convoys—like the one struck this week—can reach desperate communities without being targeted.