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| Bandit raids cut Darfur food aid | Bandit raids cut Darfur food aid |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Food aid deliveries to Sudan's Darfur region have been reduced by 50% after a series of bandit attacks on convoys, the UN's food agency has warned. | Food aid deliveries to Sudan's Darfur region have been reduced by 50% after a series of bandit attacks on convoys, the UN's food agency has warned. |
| In the latest incident, seven trucks were stolen and their drivers abducted last week as they drove to Fasher, the World Food Programme says. | In the latest incident, seven trucks were stolen and their drivers abducted last week as they drove to Fasher, the World Food Programme says. |
| WFP says 37 trucks and 23 drivers are still missing and other drivers are unwilling to risk going to Darfur. | WFP says 37 trucks and 23 drivers are still missing and other drivers are unwilling to risk going to Darfur. |
| Some two million people rely on food aid as a result of the conflict. | Some two million people rely on food aid as a result of the conflict. |
| The WFP also warns it could halt its Humanitarian Air Service which transports aid workers around the vast country at the end of this month because of a lack of funding. | The WFP also warns it could halt its Humanitarian Air Service which transports aid workers around the vast country at the end of this month because of a lack of funding. |
| "This is an unprecedented situation," said WFP representative in Sudan Kenro Oshidari. | "This is an unprecedented situation," said WFP representative in Sudan Kenro Oshidari. |
| "Our humanitarian air operation for aid workers could be forced to stop flying because we have no money, at a time when our helicopters and aircraft are needed more than ever because of high insecurity on the roads." | "Our humanitarian air operation for aid workers could be forced to stop flying because we have no money, at a time when our helicopters and aircraft are needed more than ever because of high insecurity on the roads." |
| Inaccessible | Inaccessible |
| WFP does not say who is behind the attacks in Darfur - there are numerous rebel groups and pro-government militia in the region. | WFP does not say who is behind the attacks in Darfur - there are numerous rebel groups and pro-government militia in the region. |
| Some 8,000 people a month use WFP flights in Darfur - 3,000 in helicopters to reach parts of the country which are otherwise inaccessible, the UN agency says. | Some 8,000 people a month use WFP flights in Darfur - 3,000 in helicopters to reach parts of the country which are otherwise inaccessible, the UN agency says. |
| Aid agency Oxfam has warned that its operation in Darfur would be at "serious risk" if the WFP flights stopped or were reduced. | |
| WFP also operates flights around South Sudan, which is slowly recovering from its own long conflict and where infrastructure is even worse than in Darfur. | |
| Here too, a massive aid operation to help millions of people affected by the war would be badly affected if flights were stopped. | |
| Fighting has increased recently in West Darfur, leading to a new stream of refugees. | Fighting has increased recently in West Darfur, leading to a new stream of refugees. |
| The joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force is making little progress - it still has just 9,000 troops out of the 26,000 planned. | The joint UN-African Union peacekeeping force is making little progress - it still has just 9,000 troops out of the 26,000 planned. |