The United Nations World Food Programme has condemned today the killing of three contract truck drivers who were shot to death while working for the UN’s food agency in Darfur.

“WFP is deeply saddened and shocked by the killings of these brave men, who knew the dangers they were facing but continued to work tirelessly to alleviate suffering and bring food to the hungry in Darfur,” said Kenro Oshidari, WFP Sudan representative, who received confirmation of the incidents today.

All three men worked for the Abbarci trucking company. Approximately 2,000 contract drivers and drivers’ assistants work for WFP in Darfur, where the agency delivers food to three million people in its largest operation worldwide. WFP has no information on who is responsible for the killings.

Latest incident

Two of the men died during the latest incident which took place yesterday, Tuesday, 16 October, in South Darfur state on the road between the town of Ed Daien and the city of El Obeid.

The men were returning to El Obeid after delivering supplies. Ten African Union peacekeepers were recently killed in the same region of Darfur.

The earlier incident involving WFP took place on Friday, 12 October, during the Muslim holiday of Eid, in South Darfur on the road between the state capital Nyala and the city of El Fasher, capital of North Darfur. Some 25 bags of grain were looted from the truck during the incident.

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