KHARTOUM / ISTANBUL

Sudan on Tuesday declared two officials from the World Food Program (WFP) persona non grata and ordered them to leave the country within 72 hours.

The Foreign Ministry summoned Laurent Bukera, head of the WFP office in Sudan, and Samantha Chattaraj, its operations director, and notified them that they have 72 hours to depart, the state news agency SUNA reported.

Sudan remains “fully committed to cooperating with all international organizations operating in the country according to internationally recognized systems and laws, including respect for state sovereignty,” the ministry said.

It added that the decision “does not affect ongoing cooperation with the WFP in Sudan.”

No reason was given by the ministry for its decision.

There was no immediate comment from the WFP on the report.

The announcement came amid intense clashes in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur in western Sudan, between the Sudanese army forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which recently claimed control of the city.

Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan confirmed Monday that army forces had withdrawn from the city to prevent further “systematic destruction and killing” of civilians by the RSF.

Meanwhile, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Denise Brown, called on the RSF on Tuesday to allow civilians to leave El-Fasher, as they remain at risk of death and injury.

Medical group Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) also urged authorities to protect civilians in El-Fasher and permit them to reach safer areas.

Since April 15, 2023, the army and the RSF have been locked in a war that numerous regional and international mediations have failed to end. The conflict has killed thousands of people and displaced over 15 million.