UN Strongly Condemns WFP Logistics Center Looting In Sudan

Smoke billowing in the air from a building that caught fire as a result of clashes between the Sudanese government's armed forces (ANTARA)

JENEWA - The United Nations (UN) food agency strongly condemns the looting of one of the agency's logistics centers in central Sudan.

The attack on El Obaid put "food assistance for 4.4 million people affected by the conflict at risk," according to a World Food Program (WFP) statement.

"The theft of humanitarian food aid and assets has really disrupted this operation at a critical time for the Sudanese people. This must stop." continued the statement as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, June 2.

El Obaid is one of the largest WFP logistics centers on the African continent, and is the main life aid for activities in Sudan and South Sudan.

According to the agency, the official report says not only food and nutritional supplies, but also vehicles, fuels and generators have been looted.

WFP warns that this is not the first time this has happened. So far, the WFP has recorded losses estimated at more than 60 million US dollars (approximately Rp. 899.4 billion) since violence erupted on April 15.

The agency repeated its call to all parties in conflict to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian aid.

The WFP warns that about 2 to 2.5 million Sudanese population is expected to be starving in the coming months due to the ongoing violence, which will make acute food insecurity in Sudan hit records, with more than 19 million people affected, or 40 percent of the population.