On 20 August 2025, a World Food Programme (WFP) humanitarian convoy of 16 trucks came under a drone attack in Al Melit locality, North Darfur. The convoy had arrived in Mellit on 16 August from WFP’s logistics base in Tina, Chad, to deliver food assistance to vulnerable communities in Al Melit and surrounding areas.
While the trucks were being offloaded into a cooperating partner’s warehouse, three vehicles were destroyed after catching fire. Fortunately, no casualties were reported among the truck drivers.
This attack has been widely condemned by humanitarian actors. The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. in Sudan, Luca Renda, called for an immediate and independent investigation. The United States also condemned the incident.
Both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have traded accusations over responsibility for the attack. Regardless of attribution, this latest incident highlights a disturbing pattern: aid convoys and humanitarian workers are increasingly being targeted, further denying lifesaving assistance to civilians trapped in North Darfur.
Al-Fashir and its surrounding localities remain under siege, with more than 300,000 residents facing severe shortages of food, medicine, and basic supplies. Humanitarian aid is one of the few lifelines available to these populations, and attacks on convoys directly translate into more hunger, more suffering, and more preventable deaths.
DNHR Position
The Darfur Network for Human Rights strongly condemns this attack on humanitarian operations. Targeting aid convoys is a grave violation of international humanitarian law. We call for:
- An immediate, independent investigation into the attack;
- Accountability for those responsible;
- Firm guarantees of safe and unimpeded humanitarian access across Darfur and Sudan.
Humanitarian staff and assets must never be a target. Protection of civilians must remain a priority, and the international community must act decisively to ensure aid reaches those who need it most.