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Meanwhile in Darfour: Food aid blocked by renewed fighting
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SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Renewed fighting in Darfour has halted relief aid to
war-torn Sudanese province.
The United Nations has suspended food shipments to Darfour amid renewed
fighting throughout the province. The World Food Program halted food convoys
after rebel forces attacked the market town of Ghubaysh and the government
retaliated.
UN officials said the World Food Program stopped three convoys of 70
trucks that carried more than 1,300 tons of food destined. The officials
said the convoys were destined for Fasher, the capital of North Darfour, and
Nyala, the capital of South Darfour.
The fighting was said to have begun with rebel attacks on government
positions in Darfour. By Wednesday, they said, Sudanese military units
launched a major counter-attack.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the
fighting has blocked overland access from central Sudan to the Darfour
region for the relief agencies. The office said 260,000 displaced Sudanese
in the eastern and southern parts of the province would not obtain their
food rations for December.
Officials said the rebel forces were believed to have stolen 13
commercial all-terrain trucks leased to WFP and loaded with food in the last
two weeks. They said the trucks might have been converted to military use.
"Such misuses of humanitarian assets should cease immediately," UN envoy
Jan Pronk said. "All trucks and other equipment taken by armed groups from
humanitarian organizations should be returned without delay so that relief
operations are not hindered further."
Sudan has blamed the rebel Sudan Liberation Movement for an attack on
the military in Kordofan. A new rebel group, calling itself the Sudanese
National Movement for the Eradication of Marginalisation has claimed
responsibility for a strike on Ghubeish in Western Kordofan on Dec. 27.
"There is evidence showing the involvement of the Sudan Liberation
Movement in the attack on Ghubeish," State Minister for the Interior
Ahmed Mohamed Haroun said.
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