Air Strike on UN Food Trucks Kills Driver in Sudan's South Kordofan

An air strike on two trucks carrying United Nations food aid has killed a driver in Sudan's South Kordofan state, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Sunday, condemning the attack and calling for an investigation.

The UN agency said the aerial attack hit the contracted trucks in the early hours of Saturday, October 3, as they travelled from Dilling to Kadugli. The vehicles were "clearly marked as humanitarian vehicles," WFP said. The agency did not identify who carried out the strike.

WFP calls for accountability

"One driver was killed in the air strike. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues," WFP said in its statement.

The agency called for "a prompt and impartial investigation into this incident and for those responsible for any violations to be held accountable." It said details of the incident, including the extent of the damage to the food cargo, were still being collected.

The strike came only one day after a WFP truck struck an explosive device in Dilling after delivering food assistance, the agency said.

"These incidents underscore the increasingly challenging security environment in Sudan and the risks that aid workers face when delivering life-saving assistance to communities in need," the statement said. WFP urged all parties to respect international humanitarian law and to ensure "the safe and unimpeded movement of humanitarian personnel and cargo."

A contested front in Kordofan

According to Al Jazeera, the convoy was travelling between two cities controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). Fighting in the Kordofan region intensified in late 2025, turning it into a strategic battleground between the SAF and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been at war since April 2023.

Al Jazeera reported that one in five attacks in Sudan since the war began has taken place in Kordofan. The army has the upper hand in the north after a series of recent gains, while the RSF controls much of the west. South Kordofan remains contested, and both sides have increasingly used drones, with civilian infrastructure coming under attack across the region.

Al Arabiya also reported the strike, citing the WFP statement.

Hunger crisis deepens

The war has forcibly displaced 14 million people and killed tens of thousands, plunging Sudan into one of the worst modern food crises, Al Jazeera said.

Nearly 19.5 million people, about 41 percent of the population, were struggling with acute food insecurity between February and May, according to an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification assessment. More than five million faced extreme, life-threatening shortages, and 135,000 were at risk of famine.

WFP said it remains committed to delivering assistance to the millions of people across Sudan who depend on humanitarian support.