It is with profound sadness that the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today confirmed the death of one its drivers in a fatal attack in the Sudan state of South Kordofan

Driver Jamal Al Fadil Farag Allah was killed in an armed attack on 4 August near Hilat Yatu, some 80 kilometres north of Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan state. He was driving fellow staff member Saad Yousif when their vehicle was attacked by two unknown assailants. Saad survived and is currently receiving medical attention.

“It is unacceptable for humanitarian workers to face attacks while they are working on the frontlines of hunger in countries like Sudan,” said WFP Executive Director, Ertharin Cousin. “Our thoughts today are with the family of Jamil Al Fadil Farag Allah, who have lost a husband and a father. We also pray for the swift recovery of Saad Yousif.”

A Sudanese national, Jamal started working with WFP as a Security Guard in 2005. A year later, he was recruited as a driver. He was 56 years old. He leaves behind a wife and five children.

Sudan remains one of WFP’s most challenging and complex operations. In February this year, a convoy of five WFP trucks was hijacked while on its way from El Geneina in West Darfur to Kabkabiya in North Darfur. In March, a WFP logistician was abducted in Nyala, South Darfur and was released after 86 days in captivity. On Thursday, last week, the WFP sub-office in Kutum, North Darfur was attacked and looted by a group of armed men.

The ongoing conflict in South Kordofan - which began in June 2011 - has severely hampered WFP’s ability to provide an estimated 500,000 people with much needed food assistance.

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WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Each year, on average, WFP feeds more than 90 million people in more than 70 countries.