El Geneina, March 26(Darfur 24)
On Tuesday, 1,364 tons of humanitarian aid destined for west and central Darfur states arrived in the city of El Geneina the capital of West Darfur state after a hiatus that lasted for more than five months.
The Sudanese authorities had prevented the entry of humanitarian aid across the border with Chad from the “Adrei, El Geneina” crossing before allowing it to enter after deteriorating living conditions and international pressure.
The Humanitarian Aid Commissioner in West Darfur State, Abu Al-Qasim Ahmed Ali, said when he received the humanitarian aid convoys that the relief represents the first phase of aid for the year 2024 provided by the World Food Programme.
He added, “These convoys carry 1,364 tons of corn, rice, oil, salt, and medicinal biscuits to the states of South, East, Central, and West Darfur.”
He pointed out that it will be distributed in West Darfur to four centers: “Al-Geneina, Erdemta, Darti, and Al-Riyadh,” while in Central Darfur it will be distributed in the “Warmantas and Umm Shalaya” centers.
Abu Al-Qasim said that the delay in the arrival of humanitarian aid for more than five months caused a large food gap, resulting in a severe food shortage in all localities.
The governor of the Darfur region, Minni Arko Minawi, said on Monday, in a tweet on the X website, that the United Nations organizations had begun sending humanitarian aid convoys to Darfur, announcing that 17 trucks loaded with various types of food and medicine had crossed the Tina border crossing on their way to El Fasher via Mellit, in addition to 27 trucks will cross the border to the capitals of the region, and from the point of Adrei, 17 trucks will head towards the border.
The authorities had agreed to bring in aid through several routes, including the Al-Tineh crossing, which connects Chad to North Darfur state, and which is under the control of the army and its allied movements.
The Rapid Support Forces objected to the route of delivering aid through Al-Dabbah in the northern state to Al-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, for fear that it would be used to transport weapons in the army.