KHARTOUM, 26 July 2007 — Attacks on humanitarian staff and food convoys in Sudan’s Darfur region have seen a “dramatic escalation,” obstructing food aid to millions of hungry people, the UN food agency said yesterday.
“In the last two weeks, nine food convoys have been attacked by gunmen across Darfur,” said Kenro Oshidari, the World Food Program’s (WFP) Sudan representative, in a statement sent to reporters.
“WFP staff and contractors are being stopped at gunpoint, dragged out of their vehicles and robbed with alarming frequency,” he added. “These abhorrent attacks, which target the very people who are trying to help the most vulnerable in Darfur, must be brought under control,” he added. WFP said since the beginning of the year, gunmen had attacked 18 of its food convoys in Darfur. Four WFP vehicles were also carjacked.
