Nine Western countries and the European Union have called for a credible, transparent investigation into an air attack on a World Food Programme convoy in Sudan’s South Kordofan, demanding accountability and measures to prevent further strikes on humanitarian operations.
The August 30 attack outside Dilling wounded two civilian drivers and destroyed more than 50 tonnes of food destined for Kadugli, according to the report.
Sources cited by Sky News Arabia alleged that a Sudanese army drone carried out the strike. The joint international statement condemned the attack but did not identify the force responsible.
The two trucks were clearly marked with WFP insignia, and the parties to the conflict had been notified in advance of the convoy’s movements, the statement said.
The destroyed cargo included cereals, yellow peas, vegetable oil and salt — enough to support about 5,800 people for a month. It was bound for Kadugli, where WFP provides food assistance to roughly 58,000 people facing emergency levels of food insecurity or worse.
WFP said the strike reflected increasingly dangerous conditions for humanitarian operations in Sudan. The agency reported eight air attacks since the beginning of 2026 that damaged its facilities and disrupted its work.
The appeal for an investigation came from the diplomatic missions of Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, Germany, France, Denmark, Canada and Norway, alongside the EU. They issued the statement as members of a coalition working to prevent atrocities and advance accountability in Sudan.
The signatories condemned attacks on humanitarian personnel and relief operations, stressing that all required notifications about the convoy had been provided to the warring parties.
They described the strike as another example of the growing toll of drone warfare on civilians and civilian infrastructure. Markets, health facilities, displacement camps and other sites essential to survival have also come under attack.
The statement also challenged foreign governments supplying weapons and drones to Sudan’s warring factions to recognise the direct consequences of those transfers for civilians.
The demand for accountability comes amid a US push at the UN Security Council to extend the arms embargo currently covering Darfur to the whole of Sudan, according to the report. The proposal would also cover drones, their components and associated technology.
Washington argues that foreign weapons supplies are prolonging the conflict and increasing both sides’ capacity to launch long-range attacks. US presidential adviser Massad Boulos has said at least 12 countries are providing military support to the opposing sides.
The proposed expansion concerns restrictions on arms transfers and military assistance, rather than the imposition of a no-fly zone.
The reported army involvement, the trucks’ visible humanitarian markings and the advance notification of their route raise questions about how the convoy was selected as a target.
The international statement called for those questions to be addressed through a credible investigation, followed by concrete action to hold those responsible accountable and protect future aid deliveries.
