A Sudanese paramilitary force engaged in a prolonged war with the army has imposed fresh restrictions on aid deliveries to areas under its control, including regions where famine is spreading, according to humanitarian workers.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are reportedly tightening their grip on western Sudan, where they aim to establish a parallel government, even as they lose ground in the capital, Khartoum.
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This power shift threatens to deepen the country’s divisions, more than a decade after South Sudan gained independence in 2011.
As a result, hundreds of thousands of people in Darfur, many of whom were displaced by previous conflicts, face an increased risk of starvation.
Aid workers have long accused RSF fighters of looting relief supplies throughout the war, which has persisted for more than two years.
The army, on the other hand, has been accused of obstructing access to RSF-held areas, exacerbating hunger and disease.
A dozen aid workers, speaking anonymously to Reuters, revealed that since late last year, the RSF has introduced additional barriers to humanitarian efforts.
These include demanding higher fees, controlling recruitment of local staff, and imposing greater oversight on operational processes.
The workers say these restrictions mirror practices enforced by army-aligned authorities and further limit access to those in desperate need.
The RSF’s latest moves, which aid groups are resisting, had not been previously reported.
The war, which stems from a power struggle between the army and the RSF, has triggered what the United Nations describes as “the world’s largest and most devastating humanitarian crisis.” Currently, about half of Sudan’s 50 million people are experiencing acute hunger, with many residing in RSF-controlled or threatened areas.
The conflict has also displaced more than 12.5 million people. Aid efforts have struggled to meet the growing needs, and a freeze on USAID funding is expected to worsen the situation.
In December, the Sudan Agency for Relief and Humanitarian Operations (SARHO), which oversees aid distribution for the RSF, issued directives requiring humanitarian organizations to register under a “cooperation agreement” and establish independent operations within RSF-controlled areas. Copies of these directives were seen by Reuters.
Though SARHO agreed last month to suspend the directives until April, aid groups report that the restrictions remain in effect.
(Reuters)
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