UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd July, 2021) The UN World Food Program (WFP) sent its first humanitarian flight to the Ethiopia's Tigray region given that it is at the brink of famine, the WFP said on Thursday.
"The first United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) passenger flight... has touched down at Tigray's Alula Aba Nega International Airport in Mekelle today. It is the first passenger flight into the region since commercial flights were halted on 24 June and carried more than 30 employees from multiple humanitarian organizations working to deliver urgently needed assistance to conflict-affected communities across Tigray," the WFP said in a press release.
While the UNHAS flights will now operate twice weekly to bring humanitarian personnel to Tigray, moving humanitarian supplies has been more challenging and remains a Primary concern, the release said.
On July 18, a WFP convoy was attacked while attempting to move essential humanitarian cargo into Tigray. Another convoy of more than 200 trucks carrying food is currently on standby awaiting a security clearance.
