The United Nations has strongly condemned what it described as a “horrendous” attack on a humanitarian convoy in Sudan, which resulted in the deaths of five aid workers and injuries to several others.
An attack on a UN-led aid convoy in #Sudan killed five humanitarian workers and damaged lifesaving supplies, @WFP and @UNICEF report
The convoy would have been the first to reach the war-ravaged El Fasher region in over a yearhttps://t.co/lvoduBaHsA pic.twitter.com/HdDjXQQyha— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) June 3, 2025
The convoy, carrying life-saving supplies to famine-affected communities in North Darfur, came under attack on Monday night while parked by the roadside, awaiting clearance roughly 80 kilometres from El Fasher.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric condemned the incident in the strongest terms, stating: “The United Nations condemns this horrendous attack in the strongest possible terms. They were 80 kilometres from El Fasher, parked on the side of the road, waiting for clearance, and they were attacked.”
He extended condolences to the families of those killed, saying: “For those who were killed in the line of duty in Sudan, we of course extend our condolences to their families and loved ones, and we wish a speedy recovery to those who were wounded in the attack.”
The World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also condemned the attack on the joint aid convoy, stressing the importance of safeguarding humanitarian operations.
In a joint statement, the agencies reminded all parties that, under international humanitarian law, aid workers and convoys must be protected. “Aid convoys must be protected, and parties have the obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need,” they said.
The attacked convoy had travelled over 1,800 kilometres from Port Sudan, a city already experiencing frequent drone strikes. It was carrying essential nutritional supplies to North Darfur, where hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons are at severe risk of malnutrition and starvation.
According to WFP and UNICEF, all relevant parties had been notified of the convoy’s route and movements. The 15 trucks were to be the first humanitarian delivery to reach El Fasher in over a year.
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El Fasher and the nearby Zamzam displacement camp were attacked in April, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands many of whom had already fled previous violence.
The assault on the convoy is the latest in a series of attacks amidst Sudan’s ongoing two-year conflict, which has displaced over nine million people and plunged parts of the country into famine.
In recent weeks, humanitarian and civilian infrastructure have also come under fire. Last week, WFP premises in El Fasher were bombed and damaged, while a deadly drone strike hit an international hospital in Al Obeid. In the capital, Khartoum, repeated attacks on power infrastructure have exacerbated a cholera outbreak.
WFP and UNICEF reiterated their call for an immediate end to violence targeting aid workers and civilians. “Attacks on humanitarian staff, aid, operations as well as civilians and civilian infrastructure in Sudan have continued for far too long with impunity,” they said.
