PARIS: The World Food Programme has announced the arrival of a rare convoy of humanitarian aid into civil war-torn Sudan via a temporarily reopened border crossing with Chad.
“More than a dozen aid trucks — including some from the WFP and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) — have now crossed into Darfur from Chad via the Adre border crossing” in Sudan’s west, UN chief Antonio Guterres’ spokesman Stephane Dujarric told journalists Wednesday.
The WFP trucks were carrying sorghum, legumes, oil and rice for around 13,000 people threatened with famine in the Kereinik region in western Darfur, Dujarric said.
Meanwhile the IOM brought “essential relief items” for around 12,000 people, the spokesman added.
Fighting broke out in April last year between Sudan’s army, led by Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by his former deputy Mohammed Hamdane Dagalo.
More than 25 million people have been pitched into acute hunger by the conflict, according to UN figures — over half of Sudan’s total population.
“The re-opening of the Adre crossing is critical for the effort to prevent famine from spreading across Sudan, and it must now stay in use,” WFP executive director Cindy McCain said in a statement Wednesday.
“I want to acknowledge all parties for taking this vital step to help WFP get lifesaving aid to millions of people in desperate need,” she added.
McCain said further border crossings should be reopened and humanitarian corridors created to enable more aid to be brought in, insisting that “this is the only way to avoid widespread starvation.”
Sudan’s government has said that the Adre crossing will remain open for the three coming months.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also hailed Thursday the opening of the border crossing as a “positive first step,” but also said it should be for longer.
“The three months coincide with the rainy season, which naturally complicates access because of heavy rains and flash floods,” the aid group said in a statement.
Rare food aid convoy enters Sudan from Chad
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Rare food aid convoy enters Sudan from Chad
- WFP trucks were carrying sorghum, legumes, oil and rice for around 13,000 people threatened with famine in the Kereinik region
Israeli strike in Lebanon kills alleged arms smugglers
- The pair were from the town of Shebaa and hit while driving on a road on the slopes of Mount Hermon
- “The terrorists were involved in smuggling weapons used by Hezbollah,” the Israeli military said
BEIRUT: An Israeli drone strike killed two Lebanese brothers in their car Saturday, according to Lebanon’s news agency, as Israel said it had hit arms smugglers from a group affiliated to Hezbollah.
The National News Agency report said the pair were from the town of Shebaa and hit while driving on a road on the slopes of Mount Hermon in southeastern Lebanon, “causing their SUV to catch fire and resulting in their deaths.”
The Israeli military confirmed that they had conducted a strike near Shebaa and killed two smugglers from the “Lebanese Resistance Brigades,” a group allied to the militant organization Hezbollah.
“The terrorists were involved in smuggling weapons used by Hezbollah and their activities constituted a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the Israeli military said.
“The IDF (military) will continue to operate in order to remove any threat posed to the State of Israel,” it warned.
Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed the death toll.
A similar Israeli strike on Saturday morning on a car near a hospital in the southern city of Bint Jbeil wounded seven people, according to the ministry.
The latest strikes came as the European Union added its voice to international concern over Israel’s continued strikes despite its year-old ceasefire with Lebanon.
“Focus by all parties must be on preserving the ceasefire and the progress achieved so far,” the European Commission’s foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.
Israel argues that Lebanon is acting too slowly to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia and insists it has the right to carry out operations to protect its border and citizens from attack.
On Thursday it announced a series of strikes in southern Lebanon in advance, and urged civilians to evacuate the targeted areas.
