Armed men steal food from WFP warehouse in El-Fasher

December 29, 2021 (KHARTOUM) – Unidentified gunmen have stolen more than 1,900 tonnes of food from the World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in El-Fasher, said the UN humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) on Wednesday.

The attack took place on the evening of 28 December, four days after a similar attack on the former UNAMID logistics base in El Fasher on 24 December 2021 by a peace group.

“According to initial reports, the WFP warehouse located in the Borsa area of El Fasher town, the capital of North Darfur State, contained up to 1,900 metric tonnes of food, meant for hundreds of thousands of food-insecure people in that area,” said OCHA.

The fresh attack was also perpetrated by unknown armed groups, according to the statement.

For her part, Khardiata Lo Ndiaye, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan condemned the looting of food supplies from a WFP warehouse in El Fasher.

“The United Nations and humanitarian partners are extremely concerned about the reports from North Darfur that humanitarian assets came under attack,” said Lo Ndiaye.

She pointed out that this food assistance was meant for Sudan’s most vulnerable people.

“Such an attack severely impedes our ability to deliver to the people who need it the most,” she added.

The North Darfur State Security Committee imposed a curfew in El Fasher, from 06:00 pm to 05:00 am from Wednesday, until further notice.

OCHA said that the security situation had been restored, as of  December 29.

Also, Ndiaye thanked the state authorities for their intervention to end the looting as the crowd joined the armed men in the looting.

The humanitarian coordinator further called to step up efforts to protect humanitarian premises.

(ST)