The United Nations has accused Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of obstructing humanitarian aid deliveries to Darfur, where millions face severe hunger.
The RSF, engaged in a war with the Sudanese army since April 2023, controls most of Darfur and has besieged North Darfur’s El-Fasher since May, restricting aid and attacking displacement camps.
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, condemned the RSF’s “persistent restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles,” which she said prevent aid from reaching those in desperate need.
“Famine has already been declared in five areas of North Darfur and is expected to spread further by May,” she warned, citing UN-backed food security data.
Around seven million people in Darfur face crisis-level hunger, while nearly 25 million Sudanese suffer severe food insecurity. The UN has urged the RSF to ease restrictions and allow humanitarian efforts without undue interference.
Since the conflict erupted, both warring sides have been accused of obstructing aid, looting supplies, and endangering relief workers. The war has killed tens of thousands and displaced 12 million people, triggering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.