Armed groups have looted food meant to assist the most vulnerable people in troubled areas in Sudan.

On late Tuesday, armed men attacked the warehouse of the WFP and looted dozens of food, according to a statement by the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The looting came a week after reported violence around the former UNAMID base in El Fasher.

Khardiata Lo Ndiaye, the Sudan humanitarian coordinator, expressed concerns about the looting, saying armed groups should never target humanitarian assistance.

“One in three people in Sudan needs humanitarian assistance. Such an attack severely impedes our ability to deliver to the people who need it the most,” said Ms Ndiaye. “We urgently ask all parties to adhere to humanitarian principles and allow the safe delivery of life-saving assistance.”

According to the statement, the warehouse contained up to 1,900 metric tonnes of food, meant for hundreds of thousands of food-insecure people in that area.

“This comes amid unprecedented funding shortfalls for WFP, estimated at $358 million. As of 29 December, the security situation had been restored, according to state authorities,” the statement added.

Ms Ndiaye, however, called on Sudan’s government to protect the humanitarian premises and assets.

“We are grateful to the local authorities for intervening and preventing the situation from worsening. We call upon the Government of Sudan to step up efforts to protect and safeguard humanitarian premises and assets throughout Sudan,” she added.

About 14.3 million people in Sudan need humanitarian assistance, of which 25 per cent require food security and livelihood support, according to the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan.