Tearfund has said it is “deeply distressed” about the Sudan government’s decision to permanently close down its services.

In December government officials visited the charity’s offices to close them “until further notice” but charity says it has now been told that its “work in Sudan is to be closed down”.

This week the charity released an updated statement, which said: “Despite efforts to clarify the situation and resume our humanitarian activities, it is with extreme disappointment that we have now received notification from the government that our work in Sudan is to be closed down.”

Tearfund has worked in the Sudan region of Darfur since 2004, providing support to those affected by the conflict in the area.

According to the charity’s annual report for 2014/15 its partners in Sudan received £565,000 in grants from Tearfund that year.

The statement added that: "The many vulnerable people we work with in Sudan continue to be our greatest concern, particularly the malnourished children who have been reliant on our services.

“Tearfund has provided 300,000 people each year with life-saving humanitarian support, including feeding centres, clean drinking water, improved sanitation and food production, as well as providing safe environments for children and assisting with local education. Prior to closure, Tearfund was providing care to 30,000 acutely malnourished children and nursing mothers per year.

“We are deeply distressed by the impact the decision to close our services will have and are liaising with government officials, donors, other NGOs and the UN as a matter of urgency, to ensure the critical needs of these vulnerable people continue to be met.”