WFP halts all Sudan operations after three employees killed

The World Food Programme (WFP) said on Sunday that it was temporarily halting all operations in Sudan as it reviews the "evolving security situation" after three of its staff were killed in clashes a day earlier.

"The WFP is committed to assisting the Sudanese people facing dire food insecurity, but we cannot do our lifesaving work if the safety and security of our teams and partners is not guaranteed," WFP executive director Cindy McCain said in a statement.

Three WFP employees were killed and two were wounded in clashes in Kabkabiya in North Darfur on Saturday while carrying out their duties, Volker Perthes, the UN special envoy for Sudan, earlier reported.

"I also am extremely appalled by reports of projectiles hitting UN and other humanitarian premises, as well as reports of looting of UN and other humanitarian premises in several locations in Darfur," said Perthes, who is also the head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission.

"Civilians and humanitarian workers are not a target."

The WFP also said that one of the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) aircraft it managed was significantly damaged in an exchange of gunfire at Khartoum International Airport on Saturday, "seriously impacting" its humanitarian operations.