The United Nations (UN) on Monday accused Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of obstructing humanitarian aid from reaching Darfur, where famine threatens millions.
The RSF, engaged in conflict with Sudan’s regular army since April 2023, has taken control of most of Darfur, a western region comparable in size to France.
Since May, the paramilitary group has laid siege to El-Fasher in North Darfur and launched attacks on displacement camps in the area.
“The persistent restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles” imposed by the RSF’s humanitarian agency “are preventing life-saving assistance from reaching those in desperate need,” said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan.
“The world is watching, and it is unacceptable that the humanitarian community in Sudan… is unable to deliver essential aid,” she added in a statement.
The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification has declared famine in three areas of North Darfur, warning it could spread to five more by May. According to IPC figures, nearly seven million people in Darfur are experiencing crisis levels of hunger.
On Monday, the United Nations called for streamlined bureaucratic processes and an end to interference, including demands for logistical support or enforced partnerships with designated vendors.
Since the conflict erupted, humanitarian workers have reported obstruction by both sides, along with looting of aid supplies and threats against relief staff.
The war has killed tens of thousands, displaced 12 million, and triggered one of the world’s most severe hunger and displacement crises. According to the UN, nearly 25 million people across Sudan are facing extreme food insecurity.
