Famine Crisis in Sudan: Military Expels UN Food Officials Amid Ongoing Conflict

Thu Oct 30 2025 21:09:22 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The expulsion of senior World Food Programme officials from Sudan by the military government comes at a critical moment, as the country faces unprecedented levels of food insecurity amidst escalating violence.

As Sudan navigates a devastating civil conflict, the military has expelled top officials from the UN's World Food Programme, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis affecting over 24 million people. The military's actions coincide with growing violence in el-Fasher, further worsening the dire situation for civilians displaced by the conflict.

Sudan's military government has ordered two senior officials at the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) to leave the country amid widespread famine sparked by a gruelling civil war that erupted in April 2023.

The WFP said directors of its Sudan operation were declared personae non grata and told to go within 72 hours, without explanation.

The decision comes days after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured the key city of el-Fasher in Darfur from the military after an 18-month siege, which included a food blockade.

The WFP said the expulsions came at a pivotal time as humanitarian needs in Sudan had never been greater with more than 24 million people facing acute food insecurity.

Although the military government has not given a reason for the expulsions, it has previously accused aid groups of breaking local laws and releasing misleading reports on famine conditions.

The government stated the expulsion would not affect the country's cooperation with the WFP, according to state news agency Suna.

The WFP says it is engaging with Sudanese authorities to resolve the situation.

Two-and-a-half years of fighting between the army and the RSF escalated on Sunday, when the RSF seized el-Fasher in the western region of Darfur.

There are now fears for the fate of the estimated 250,000 people in the city, many from non-Arab communities. Reports of atrocities, including mass-killings, have been mounting since the city fell.

The situation in el-Fasher is described as extremely dire, with reports of looting and shooting without distinction between young or old.

Local activists accused the RSF of executing individuals receiving treatment at hospitals, and satellite images appear to show bodies within the hospital grounds.

International bodies such as the European Union and African Union have expressed alarm, while locals say the current situation is reminiscent of the region's darkest days.

The Sudanese-American poet Emtithal Mahmoud highlighted the emerging narrative of potential genocide as social media footage circulates, indicating severe violations and a lack of accountability from the RSF.