UN threatens to suspend Darfur food aid over attacks

By Andrew Heavens

KHARTOUM, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The United Nations on Sunday threatened to suspend emergency food deliveries to parts of Sudan's Darfur region after a surge of hijackings and bandit attacks.

The U.N.'s World Food Programme (WFP) said "relentless" attacks on its food convoys, workers and drivers were pushing staff to the limit.

"Should these attacks continue, the situation will become intolerable -- to the point that we will have to suspend operations in some areas of Darfur," the WFP's Deputy Representative in Sudan, Monika Midel, said.

WFP spokesman Rachid Jaafar told Reuters the agency had not decided which delivery routes would be cut. "But large numbers will be affected," he said.

The WFP currently delivers food to more than 3 million people in Darfur, he added.

The agency put out its statement after three trucks and four staff were hijacked in south Darfur last Wednesday. The vehicles were recovered on Saturday and the workers rescued.

It said more than 100 vehicles had already been hijacked this year and many more shot at and robbed.

A total of 43 drivers and 69 trucks were still missing it said, adding that drivers were now refusing to drive certain routes.

Law and order has collapsed in Darfur where more than five years of fighting has killed 200,000 and driven more than 2.5 million from their homes, international experts say.

Rebel groups that took up arms against the Khartoum government in early 2003 have since splintered into numerous competing factions.

Aid groups working in the world's largest humanitarian operation say they are also regularly plagued by small armed gangs and bandits, targeting their vehicles, staff and compounds.

The WFP cut its Darfur food rations in May, blaming a rise in attacks. The agency said almost 50,000 people received no food aid at all in July because of security problems.

Sunday's announcement came days after German aid group Welthungerhilfe, also known as German Agro Action, suspended food deliveries to 450,000 people in North Darfur after threats against its staff.

(Editing by Robert Hart)

AlertNet news is provided by