Airstrike destroys 50 tonnes of food aid

The World Food Programme said an aerial attack on August 30 destroyed two of its trucks carrying food assistance outside Dilling in Sudan’s South Kordofan state. The trucks were headed to Kadugli and were clearly marked with WFP banners and flags, the agency said. More than 50 tonnes of food were lost in the strike, according to WFP, enough to support about 5,800 people for one month. The attack was disclosed on September 2 in statements from WFP and UN News, which said the food had been intended for hungry families in an area already under severe strain from conflict and displacement. The UN did not identify the party responsible in the materials released on Wednesday. ### Where did the strike happen, and what was being delivered? (wfp.org) Dilling, a town in South Kordofan, was the point near which the trucks were hit, WFP said. The destination was Kadugli, another key town in the state, where humanitarian agencies have been trying to sustain deliveries despite insecurity and interruptions to access. (wfp.org) The cargo was food assistance for families facing hunger in South Kordofan. Anadolu, citing WFP, reported that the destroyed load was enough to assist about 5,800 people for a month. ### Why is the loss significant in South Kordofan? South Kordofan has been one of the Sudanese regions where fighting, displacement and restricted access have repeatedly disrupted relief operations. (wfp.org) In February, a joint UN convoy led by WFP, UNICEF and UNDP reached Dilling and Kadugli with supplies for more than 130,000 people, the first major delivery to those areas in more than three months. (aa.com.tr) UN agencies have also described worsening humanitarian conditions across Kordofan in 2026. OCHA said in its humanitarian response plan that hostilities had intensified across Darfur and Kordofan, exposing civilians to acute danger and deprivation. WFP says nearly 19.5 million people in Sudan face crisis levels of hunger, with some in catastrophic conditions. (wfp.org) ### What did WFP say about the attack? WFP said it “strongly condemns” the aerial attack and stressed that the trucks were clearly identified as humanitarian vehicles. The agency said attacks on aid workers, food supplies and humanitarian assets are unacceptable and called for the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel. (unocha.org) UN News said the attack destroyed food aid destined for hungry families over the weekend and underlined the danger facing relief operations in Sudan. The UN account of the incident matched WFP’s description of the location, timing and scale of the loss. ### How does this fit into the wider aid picture in Sudan? Sudan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, according to WFP and OCHA. (wfp.org) WFP says it reaches about 4 million people each month in Sudan, but operations depend on transport routes, local access and security guarantees that have repeatedly been undermined by the war. Recent UN reporting has described fresh displacement and infrastructure damage in Kordofan, including fighting in North Kordofan that disrupted power, water and telecommunications. (news.un.org) Those conditions add to the difficulty of moving aid into contested areas and keeping supply lines open. ### What happens next for aid deliveries? WFP has not announced a replacement convoy date in the statements released on September 2. (wfp.org) The agency said the destroyed trucks had been bound for Kadugli, and future deliveries will depend on the same access routes and security conditions that shaped earlier UN convoys into South Kordofan. (news.un.org) The next public updates are likely to come from WFP, UN News or OCHA as agencies assess losses and try to move additional supplies into South Kordofan. For now, the immediate confirmed facts are the date of the strike, the location outside Dilling, and the loss of more than 50 tonnes of food intended for civilians in Kadugli. (wfp.org)