Sudan's Darfur crisis: Aid blockade sparks international concern

The Sudanese authorities, aligned with the army, prevented aid entry across borders into the Darfur region, west of the country, and the United States and Relief Organizations condemned the move.

The vast Darfur region, adjacent to Chad, is one of the most affected parts of Sudan since the war broke out ten months ago between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.

In their current battle against the army, which began last April, the Rapid Support Forces have seized control of four of the five capitals of Darfur states.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 694,000 people have fled across the border into Chad, but many of them remain trapped in Darfur and need of assistance.

The United Nations has been forced to restrict its operations from Chad to Darfur across the border. However, the World Food Program director in Sudan, Eddie Rowe, told reporters last week that "authorities have restricted" these operations.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed extreme concern about "the recent decision by the army to ban humanitarian aid from crossing the border from Chad and reports indicating that the Sudanese Armed Forces are obstructing aid delivery to communities in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces."

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry, aligned with the army, rejected what it described as "false accusations" leveled against it by Washington.

The ministry emphasized that the Sudanese-Chadian border is "the main transit point for weapons and equipment" used to commit "atrocities" against Sudanese civilians."