Bandits stand in way of UN aid in Darfur

A surge of bandit attacks has forced the U.N. to halve deliveries of emergency food in Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region, aid officials said on Monday.

The U.N.’s World Food Programme (WFP) said an increase in attacks on its road delivery convoys in Darfur coincided with a cash crisis threatening to ground its air link to the region. “This is an unprecedented situation,” said the WFP’s Sudan representative Kenro Oshidari.

“Our humanitarian air operation for aid workers could be forced to stop flying because we have no money, at a time when our helicopters and aircraft are needed more than ever because of high insecurity on the roads.” The WFP said 45 contract trucks had been hijacked since the start of the year, along with six of its own passenger vehicles.