Five Killed as UN Aid Convoy Attacked Near El Fasher in War-Torn Sudan

iNewsAfrica |  Northeast Africa Bureau | June 3, 2025

Five Sudanese aid workers were killed and several others injured when a United Nations convoy delivering critical humanitarian supplies to El Fasher, North Darfur, came under aerial attack—allegedly involving drones or aircraft—amid Sudan’s escalating civil war.

• Location: Near Al Koma, en route to El Fasher, North Darfur

• Casualties: 5 aid workers killed, several injured

• Agencies Involved: World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF

• Cause: Suspected aerial strike—military jet or drone

• Accusations: Sudanese military and RSF trade blame

• Context: First UN aid convoy to El Fasher in over a year

• Crisis Impact: Over 13 million displaced; famine risk intensifies

El Fasher, Sudan — A United Nations aid convoy en route to the besieged city of El Fasher in Sudan’s North Darfur region was struck by an apparent aerial attack on Monday, killing five Sudanese aid workers and injuring several others, UN officials confirmed.

The convoy, operated by the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF, consisted of 15 trucks loaded with food and nutritional supplies intended for families trapped by the ongoing conflict. It had traveled over 1,800 kilometers from Port Sudan and was within 80 kilometers of its destination when it was targeted near the town of Al Koma.

“This was a direct attack on life-saving humanitarian assistance,” said UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. “We mourn the loss of our Sudanese colleagues and call for a full investigation into this atrocity.”

The identities of the attackers remain contested. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accused the Sudanese military of launching a premeditated aerial strike on the aid mission. The army, however, blamed the RSF, alleging the convoy was hit by a drone operated by the paramilitary group.

El Fasher has been under RSF siege since May 2024, remaining one of the last remaining government-controlled urban centers in Darfur. The battle for control of the city has intensified in recent months, with devastating humanitarian consequences for civilians caught in the crossfire.

UNICEF and WFP decried the loss, noting that the supplies were bound for vulnerable children and families already facing starvation. “This attack will worsen already dire conditions,” said a UNICEF representative.

Sudan’s war, which erupted in April 2023 between the military and the RSF, has displaced over 13 million people, crippled infrastructure, and pushed several regions to the brink of famine. El Fasher, once a major humanitarian hub, has been largely inaccessible to aid for over a year.

Humanitarian agencies are now reassessing their operations in the region as security conditions further deteriorate.