Aerial strike destroys WFP food convoy in South Kordofan, jeopardising aid for thousands

The World Food Programme reported that on 30 August an aircraft bombed a convoy outside the city of Dilling. The two trucks were clearly identified with WFP banners and flags and were transporting roughly 50 metric tonnes of staples—cereals, yellow split peas, vegetable oil and salt. The cargo would have fed an estimated 5,800 individuals for a month. The loss occurred as the convoy travelled toward Kadugli, where WFP is delivering emergency nutrition assistance. The agency condemned the strike as unacceptable and called for protection of humanitarian assets.

Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, is home to nearly 58,000 people currently receiving emergency food aid from WFP. WFP condemned the attack on vehicles carrying food intended for civilian families. The broader conflict that began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has left about 30 million Sudanese requiring assistance, according to UN estimates for the previous year. With supply lines increasingly vulnerable, the setback threatens both immediate hunger relief and longer‑term food security plans in the region.

Since the start of the year, WFP has documented eight separate aerial incidents that have damaged its facilities or disrupted its work across Sudan. These attacks illustrate a deteriorating security environment for aid delivery, prompting the agency to repeatedly urge all parties to respect international humanitarian law and safeguard civilians, aid workers and clearly marked relief supplies. Continued targeting not only hampers the distribution of essential nutrition but also erodes the capacity of humanitarian organisations to meet the needs of the estimated 30 million people still dependent on assistance.