The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Wednesday that two of its senior staff members in Sudan have been instructed to leave the country by the Sudanese foreign ministry.

The country director and emergency coordinator, identified as persona non grata, were given 72 hours to depart without any explanation provided.

This decision comes at a critical juncture for humanitarian efforts, with the WFP emphasizing that it is 'at a pivotal time' when needs in Sudan are dire, affecting over 24 million individuals facing acute food insecurity and living under threat of famine conditions.

The circumstances leading up to this expulsion include recent military actions by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against the Sudanese Armed Forces.

Since April 2023, the RSF has been involved in a violent conflict with the army, which escalated with the seizure of El-Fasher, a key city in Darfur, in recent days.

This development marks a significant expansion of the RSF's control and has raised fears among international observers regarding potential abuses and violence reminiscent of past tragedies in the region.

The WFP expressed deep concern over these events, noting that Sudan is effectively divided along an east-west axis, with the RSF ruling a parallel government in Darfur and the military establishing dominance in the northern, eastern, and central regions.

This political and territorial fragmentation complicates humanitarian operations, as organizations like the WFP are now forced to navigate leadership vacuums and increased volatility to continue providing assistance to millions of vulnerable individuals threatened by hunger, malnutrition, and starvation.

The international community and humanitarian agencies are engaging with Sudanese authorities in an attempt to reverse or mitigate this decision's impact on ongoing relief efforts.

The situation remains tense, highlighting the need for sustained engagement and diplomatic efforts to address the crisis deepening in Sudan.