In brief
Sudan's military has expelled two senior officials from the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) as the region faces a severe humanitarian crisis compounded by civil war. Accusations against aid organizations and rising tensions in Darfur mark this pivotal moment in an ongoing conflict that has left millions in dire need of assistance.
Sudan's military government has ordered two senior officials at the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) to leave the country amid widespread famine sparked by a gruelling civil war that erupted in April 2023.
The WFP said directors of its Sudan operation were declared personae non grata and told to go within 72 hours, without explanation.
The decision comes days after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured the key city of el-Fasher in Darfur from the military after an 18-month siege, which included a food blockade.
The WFP said the expulsions came at a pivotal time as humanitarian needs in Sudan had never been greater with more than 24 million people facing acute food insecurity.
Although the military government has not given a reason for the expulsions, it has previously accused aid groups of breaking local laws and releasing misleading reports on famine conditions.
The government stated that the expulsion will not affect the country's cooperation with the WFP, according to the state news agency Suna.
Two-and-a-half years of fighting between the army and the RSF escalated on Sunday, when the RSF seized el-Fasher in the western region of Darfur. There are now fears for the fate of the estimated 250,000 people in the city, many from non-Arab communities.
Reports of atrocities, including mass-killings, have been mounting since the city fell, drawing comparisons to past conflicts in the region.
Since the conflict erupted, RSF fighters and allied Arab militia in Darfur have been accused of targeting people from non-Arab ethnic groups, allegations the RSF denies.
International bodies such as the European Union and African Union have expressed alarm, while locals say the current situation is reminiscent of the region's darkest days. The Janjaweed militia, previously associated with genocide and ethnic cleansing, has morphed into the RSF, igniting fears of widespread violence once again.
In the words of Sudanese-American poet Emtithal Mahmoud, many feel a "genocide" is unfolding, exacerbated by the frequent livestreaming of violence by the RSF.
