KHARTOUM, Sudan – June 4, 2025 – In a tragic blow to humanitarian efforts in war-torn Sudan, five people were killed in a brutal attack on a United Nations aid convoy near El Koma in North Darfur on Monday night, the UN confirmed on Tuesday.
The convoy, organized jointly by the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF, was en route to the conflict-ravaged city of El Fasher, carrying vital food and nutrition supplies for vulnerable civilians. The 15-truck convoy had traveled more than 1,800 kilometers from Port Sudan, navigating one of the most dangerous terrains in the region, only to be ambushed before reaching its destination.
Speaking from UN headquarters in New York, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, condemned the incident in the strongest terms.
“This was a horrendous act of violence,” Dujarric said during a press briefing on Tuesday. “This joint WFP-UNICEF convoy was made up of 15 trucks, carrying essential nutrition supplies and food. Multiple of our trucks were burnt in the attack, and critical humanitarian cargo was destroyed.”
First UN Convoy to El Fasher in Over a Year
This attack is particularly significant as it targeted what would have been the first successful UN humanitarian convoy to reach El Fasher in more than a year, highlighting the persistent challenges of aid delivery in a country gripped by a devastating civil war.
According to Dujarric, the convoy’s route had been clearly communicated in advance to all relevant armed actors in the region. “The parties on the ground were notified and aware of the location and movement of the trucks,” he noted. Despite these security protocols, the convoy was attacked, resulting not only in human loss but also in the destruction of desperately needed aid for families already teetering on the brink.
“It’s devastating that these life-saving supplies have not reached the civilians in need. We continue to call for the protection of humanitarian personnel and unrestricted access to populations in crisis,” Dujarric added.
A Country on the Brink
Sudan has been in the throes of a brutal civil war since April 2023, when a long-simmering power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) spiraled into full-scale armed conflict. The violence has triggered one of the world’s worst displacement crises, forcing millions of Sudanese to flee their homes, with many seeking shelter in neighboring Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt.
The western region of Darfur has once again become a tragic epicenter of the conflict, marred by ethnically motivated attacks, looting, and rampant lawlessness. Humanitarian agencies, already stretched thin, face mounting risks as they attempt to deliver food, medicine, and shelter in increasingly volatile conditions.
Neither the UN nor Sudanese authorities have publicly identified the perpetrators of Monday night’s attack. Both the army and the RSF have blamed each other, further complicating efforts to investigate the incident and hold the attackers accountable.
The Human Cost of Conflict
While the world watches Sudan’s collapse into chaos with growing alarm, humanitarian workers and aid organizations continue to bear the brunt of the violence. Attacks on aid convoys, looting of warehouses, and destruction of infrastructure have made it increasingly difficult to reach communities in urgent need.
The latest assault near El Koma reflects a broader pattern of targeted violence against humanitarian actors in Sudan, particularly in Darfur, where several aid workers have been killed or injured in recent months. The UN has repeatedly warned that deliberate attacks on aid operations constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes.
“We are not just talking about food and medicine being lost. We are talking about children, mothers, and elderly people who were waiting for help that now may never come,” said a UNICEF regional officer, speaking on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.
International Outcry and Urgent Appeals
Following news of the attack, several international agencies have called on both parties in Sudan’s conflict to ensure the safety and neutrality of humanitarian corridors. Human Rights Watch and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) have echoed the UN’s call for accountability and renewed efforts to establish secure pathways for aid delivery.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in El Fasher, a key urban center in North Darfur, continues to deteriorate. With markets closed, health facilities overwhelmed, and thousands of displaced families crammed into makeshift camps, humanitarian access has never been more urgent.
“The people of El Fasher have been cut off for far too long,” said a WFP logistics coordinator based in East Africa. “This convoy was a ray of hope—and now, that hope has been attacked and set on fire.”
Global Attention, But Limited Action
Despite mounting international concern, diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire or peace deal have so far failed. Talks hosted in Saudi Arabia and Egypt have stalled, and the African Union has struggled to bring warring factions to the negotiating table.
As the conflict grinds on, aid workers fear that Sudan may be sliding into a “forgotten war”—overshadowed by crises in Ukraine, Gaza, and the Sahel. But for those on the ground, the consequences are painfully real.
“Every day we are risking our lives just to reach people with basic supplies,” said a UN field worker in Port Sudan. “If this doesn’t stop, more lives will be lost—not just from bullets, but from hunger, disease, and hopelessness.”
A Call for Accountability
With five more lives lost and essential food and nutrition cargo reduced to ashes, the UN and its partners are calling for a full investigation and immediate steps to protect humanitarian operations across Sudan.
“There must be accountability for this heinous act,” Dujarric emphasized in his statement. “And we will not give up on the people of Sudan.”
As the international community grapples with how to respond, the message from the UN is clear: humanitarian aid should never be a target—and those who turn convoys of hope into scenes of tragedy must face justice.
