RSF accused of blocking life-saving aid for malnourished children in N. Darfur

March 27, 2024 (EL FASHER) – A North Darfur state government official on Wednesday accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of detaining trucks carrying critical aid for malnourished children in El Fasher, the state capital.

Hundreds of children in North Darfur are struggling with malnutrition, with 268 cases in El Fasher alone. These children require immediate, life-saving assistance.

The official told Sudan Tribune, “The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) dispatched six trucks loaded with food supplies. “However, the RSF detained three of these trucks in (the RSF-controlled) eastern El Fasher.

The official emphasized that the detained trucks carried essential supplies, including milk and ready-to-use therapeutic food specifically designed to treat malnourished children under five.

UNICEF estimates that 3.5 million Sudanese children will face acute malnutrition this year, with over 700,000 suffering from its most severe form. This dire situation is compounded by delayed aid deliveries and the recent destruction of the only factory producing therapeutic food in Sudan due to the ongoing conflict.

Despite growing hunger across Sudan, authorities agreed to facilitate relief shipments through several border crossings, including the Al-Tineh crossing connecting North Darfur to northern Chad.

The official condemned the RSF’s actions as “unacceptable,” particularly since the state government remains neutral in the conflict and strives to provide services to all children in North Darfur.

“The RSF cannot claim to defend humanity while simultaneously preventing life-saving aid from reaching vulnerable children,” the official said. “They must allow unimpeded access for food, medicine, and medical supplies to all areas of Darfur.”

Tensions between the Sudanese army and the RSF continue in the North Darfur state. The army repelled attempts by the RSF to take control of their El Fasher base and airstrikes targeting RSF-held areas.

Additionally, the RSF faces accusations of looting humanitarian aid warehouses in areas under their control, including a World Food Program facility in Al-Jazira State containing enough food to sustain 1.5 million people for a month.

(ST)