Sudan’s military government has ordered the expulsion of two senior officials from the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) amidst a deepening humanitarian crisis fueled by a brutal civil war that began in April 2023. The WFP confirmed that its Sudan operation directors were declared ‘personae non grata’ and given 72 hours to leave the country without any explanation. This decision follows the recent capture of the strategic city of el-Fasher in Darfur by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after an 18-month siege, which included a severe food blockade. The WFP described the expulsions as occurring at a ‘pivotal time,’ with over 24 million Sudanese facing acute food insecurity—the highest level of need in the country’s history. While the military government has not provided a reason for the expulsions, it has previously accused aid organizations of violating local laws and disseminating misleading reports on famine conditions. Despite the expulsion, the government stated that its cooperation with the WFP would continue, according to the state news agency Suna. The WFP is currently in discussions with Sudanese authorities to address the situation. The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF has intensified, with the RSF’s capture of el-Fasher raising fears for the safety of approximately 250,000 residents, many from non-Arab communities. Reports of atrocities, including mass killings, have surged since the city fell. Escaped residents have described dire conditions, including looting and indiscriminate violence. The RSF has denied targeting civilians, but allegations of ethnic violence persist, with local activists and international researchers accusing the group of executing wounded individuals at el-Fasher’s Saudi Hospital. The international community, including the European Union and African Union, has expressed grave concern, with many drawing parallels to the Darfur genocide of 2003-2020. Sudanese-American poet Emtithal Mahmoud, who has family in el-Fasher, warned that the current violence resembles a ‘genocide,’ amplified by the RSF’s use of social media to broadcast their actions. The situation in Sudan remains critical, with the conflict and famine threatening to push the country further into chaos.