Food aid from the United Nations only reached half of its intended recipients in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the World Food Program (WFP) said Monday.

WFP said it delivered food to a million people in war-torn Tigray in June and July, but that shortages of fuel and telecommunications mean another million people slated to receive assistance have been out of reach.

The United Nations has estimated that 5.2 million people – a shocking 90% of the population of Tigray – is in need of food assistance.

“People in Tigray are suffering due to lack of humanitarian support over the past month – we need to reach them now before they fall into famine. WFP is calling for all parties to agree to a ceasefire and guarantee an unimpeded flow of humanitarian supplies into Tigray, so that we can deliver lifesaving food and other emergency supplies safely before it’s too late,” said Michael Dunford, WFP’s Corporate Response Director for Tigray.

The war erupted in Ethiopia last November between the federal government in Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused Tigrayan troops of attacking federal military camps.

The war in Ethiopia has caused a devastating humanitarian crisis mostly in the Tigray region.

Tens of thousands of Tigray residents have fled to neighboring Sudan since the conflict began.

Source: Voice of America