A convoy carrying food aid has arrived in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, for the first time since civil war erupted in April 2023.
The country is currently experiencing the “world’s worst hunger crisis”, according to the United Nations, as a result of fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
When trucks loaded with aid rolled into south Khartoum on Thursday, there were “tears of laughter and joy”, humanitarian worker Duaa Tariq told the BBC.
Aid agencies have long complained that security threats and roadblocks – set up by the warring sides – have hampered vital deliveries.
In order for Thursday’s breakthrough to take place, UN agencies and Sudanese community groups negotiated with the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
“There were tears, tears of laughter and joy and tears of a lot of effort and exhaustion from arranging this… it was quite a moment,” Ms Tariq, who works with Sudanese humanitarian group Emergency Response Rooms, told the BBC.
The convoy consisted of 28 trucks. Unicef – which sent five of the vehicles – said it was able to deliver “life-saving” food and health supplies to Al Bashayer Hospital and other health facilities in Khartoum.
“Here in Khartoum, [we are in] desperate need of this aid. We’ve been waiting for it and we’ve been trying so many ways and methods to go around this, but the only way to help reduce the famine effect in Khartoum right now, is to receive this aid,” Ms Tariq said.
Just days earlier, an independent group of food security experts warned that Sudan is sliding into a “widening famine crisis”.
About half the population – 24.6 million people – is in urgent need of food aid, said the Integrated Food Phase Classification (IPC).
The army and RSF had jointly staged a coup in 2021, but a power struggle between their commanders plunged the country into a civil war 20 months ago.
In May, US special envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello said that some estimates suggested up to 150,000 people had been killed in the conflict.
More than 11 million people have been forced from their homes.
Various mediation efforts aimed at ending the conflict between the army and the RSF have so far failed.