EU sets up ‘air bridge’ to deliver humanitarian aid to Darfur
Brussels (dpa) – The European Union has started airlifting humanitarian aid to the Sudanese region of Darfur, the European Commission announced on Monday.
“A total of eight flights will bring life-saving supplies into Darfur, as mass atrocities, starvation, and displacement linked to the conflict in Sudan have left millions in need of humanitarian assistance,” the Commission said in a press release.
A first flight delivered around 100 tons of aid on Friday and further flights are planned throughout December and January, it said. The goods delivered include shelter materials, water, sanitation and hygiene items as well as health supplies.
The humanitarian situation in Darfur “deteriorated sharply” after the city of El Fasher was captured by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in October, the Commission said.
“The loss of the city marked a major escalation of an already catastrophic humanitarian situation, and further restricted aid access. Civilians who managed to flee are reporting widespread violations of international humanitarian law.”
The air bridge will cost 3.5 million Euro and will be funded from the EU’s humanitarian budget, the Commission said. The EU has so far made available 270 million Euro for humanitarian aid for Sudan this year.
The RSF in Sudan launched attacks on military and civilian targets in April 2023 after resisting integration into the army. The brutal power struggle that emerged has created what the UN describes as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. (15 December)
