Attacks may force WFP to suspend Darfur food convoys
September 7, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — The World Food Programme (WFP) warned today that the deterioration of security situation in Darfur could force it to suspend food distribution in the troubled region.
Following a recent attack against its trucks near Moraya, 55 Km northern west of Nyala, capital of South Darfur on 3 September, the WFP said 69 trucks and 43 drivers remain unaccounted for.
The UN humanitarian body said that relentless attacks on truck convoys in Darfur are pushing to the brink the agency’s ability to feed more than 3 million people each month.
“Should these attacks continue, the situation will become intolerable — to the point that we will have to suspend operations in some areas of Darfur,” said today Monika Midel, WFP’s Deputy Representative in Sudan.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 100 vehicles delivering WFP food assistance have been hijacked in Darfur, with many more shot at and robbed. Drivers are refusing to travel along certain routes, significantly slowing food aid deliveries to hungry people.
WFP started cutting rations in May when truck convoys could no longer deliver enough food, affecting three million people. In July, almost 50,000 people received no food assistance at all due to insecurity.
On 27 August, a WFP NGO partner German Agro Action (GAA) decided to suspend food distribution to 450,000 people in North Darfur because of insecurity.
(ST)