At least two million people in Sudan’s northern Darfur will be affected this year after World Food Program (WFP) suspended its operation following a series of looting on all three of its warehouses in El Fasher.

The attack that started on December 28, 2021, enabled the looters to move away with more than 5,000 metric tonnes of food and the warehouse structures dismantled, World Food Program officials said.

The Executive Director for United Nations World Food Programme based in Sudan, David Beasley, said that the attack and looting of the food aids as well as dismantling of the warehouse were senseless. He said they have been forced to suspend the operation from the area.

 “This theft has robbed [us] nearly two million people of the food and nutrition support they so desperately need. Not only is this a tremendous setback to our operations across the country, but it endangers our staff and jeopardises our ability to meet the needs of the most vulnerable families,” he said in the press statement seen by The City Review yesterday.

He calls on the government of Sudan to urgently provide adequate security, to recover the looted stocks and to provide guarantees so that WFP can safely resume its operations in North Darfur.

“The losses in El Fasher cannot be replenished with stocks currently in Sudan without compromising assistance meant for vulnerable people in other parts of the country,” he said.

According to WFP officials, a total of 10.9 million people in Sudan require food security and livelihood assistance in 2022.

On December 30, 2021, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, condemned the looting and the attacks on United Nations facilities, equipment and supplies gifted to Sudan authorities for civilians in El Fasher Darfur.

In his statement, the United Nations boss called on the government of Sudan to restore the order. He said the authorities must ensure that former UNAMID property and assets are strictly used for civilians as per the agreement the government signed in March 2021.

The UN Chief, Guterres, also urged the Sudanese authorities to facilitate a safe working environment and passage for remaining UN operations in the region.

The Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Khardiata LoN’diaye also condemned the attack and looting and warned that humanitarian assistance should never be targeted.

In 2016, the World Food Programme warehouse in Juba was looted after two days when war broke out in Juba. Thousands of civilians were seen carrying stolen food items.