UN's World Food Programme Suspends Operations in Sudan After Death of Three Employees

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United Nation's World Food Programme (WFP) is temporarily suspending all operations in Sudan after three of its workers were killed and two were injured in the ongoing violence in the country, WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain said on Sunday.

"I am appalled and heartbroken by the tragic deaths of three WFP employees on Saturday 15 April in violence in Kabkabiya, North Darfur while carrying out their life saving duties on the front lines of the global hunger crisis. Two WFP employees were also injured in the same incident," McCain said in a statement.

Moreover, one WFP-managed UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) aircraft was also significantly damaged at Khartoum International airport during an exchange of gunfire on Saturday, "seriously impacting WFP’s ability to move humanitarian workers and aid within the country," the statement read.

"While we review the evolving security situation, we are forced to temporarily halt all operations in Sudan. WFP is committed to assisting the Sudanese people facing dire food insecurity, but we cannot do our lifesaving work if the safety and security of our teams and partners is not guaranteed," McCain said.

Clashes between the Sudanese regular army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out on Saturday, with the epicenter in Sudan’s capital of Khartoum. Government forces accused the RSF of mutiny and launched airstrikes against their bases. The RSF claimed control of the presidential palace in Khartoum and the airports in Khartoum and Merowe. The national army denied the presidential palace's takeover. Late on Saturday, Sudanese Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Abdel Fattah Al Burhan issued a decree to dissolve the RSF.