Khartoum — The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has condemned an aerial attack on two trucks carrying food aid to families in South Kordofan. A WFP statement on Wednesday confirms that the trucks were hit outside Dilling on 30 August while carrying WFP assistance to Kadugli. They were clearly marked with WFP banners and flags, WFP says.

"More than 50 tonnes of food were destroyed, including cereals, yellow split peas, vegetable oil, and salt. The supplies were enough to provide life-saving assistance to 5,800 people for a month," the WFP statement says.

In Kadugli, the organisation is supporting nearly 58,000 people facing emergency levels of food insecurity or worse with food aid. The agency laments that the attack is the latest to disrupt the work of the WFP and other humanitarian agencies in Sudan. The agency says it has recorded eight aerial attacks since the beginning of the year that have damaged its premises and disrupted operations.

The WFP has urged all parties involved in the fighting to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians, humanitarian workers, and aid supplies.

"Attacks on aid workers and humanitarian operations are unacceptable and must stop," it says.