The United Nations has accused Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of obstructing critical humanitarian aid to the famine-stricken Darfur region, warning of an escalating crisis as hunger spreads across the war-torn area.

In a statement issued on Monday, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, condemned the RSF’s ongoing blockade, stating that “persistent restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles” imposed by the group’s humanitarian agency were preventing life-saving assistance from reaching those in urgent need.

“The world is watching, and it is unacceptable that the humanitarian community in Sudan… is unable to deliver essential aid,” Nkweta-Salami said.

The RSF, which has been locked in a brutal conflict with Sudan’s regular army since April 2023, controls nearly all of Darfur—a vast region roughly the size of France. Since May, the paramilitary group has besieged the city of El-Fasher in North Darfur and launched attacks on nearby displacement camps.

Famine and Humanitarian Catastrophe

The situation in North Darfur has reached critical levels, with famine officially declared in three areas and expected to spread to five more by May, according to the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

Nearly seven million people in Darfur are experiencing crisis levels of hunger, IPC figures show, while an estimated 25 million across Sudan face severe food insecurity.

The UN has called for an immediate easing of bureaucratic obstacles and an end to interference in aid efforts, including demands for logistical support or mandatory engagement with specific vendors.

A War-Driven Crisis

Since the conflict erupted, humanitarian workers have repeatedly faced obstruction from both warring factions, with reports of looted aid supplies and direct threats against relief staff. The war has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced 12 million people, making Sudan home to the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises.

With conditions rapidly deteriorating, the international community continues to urge immediate action to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur and across Sudan.