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Recent events in Sudan’s North Darfur state have raised international alarm as violence intensifies against civilian targets, particularly healthcare facilities. On Wednesday, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, attacked el-Fasher Hospital, resulting in at least 12 fatalities and 17 injuries.
This incident marks a distressing trend, representing the second assault on the hospital within just 24 hours.
According to the Sudan Doctors Network, a female doctor and a nursing staff member were among the injured. The group condemned the RSF’s actions, characterizing the attack as a war crime that blatantly violates the safety of civilians and the international laws established to protect medical facilities and personnel.
Healthcare under siege: the dire situation in el-Fasher
The RSF’s recent shelling of the hospital has intensified concerns regarding the deteriorating healthcare landscape in el-Fasher. This facility is one of the few operational hospitals remaining in the area, as many others have been bombed into closure.
The medical community has issued an urgent appeal to global leaders and the United Nations Security Council for immediate action to protect health services and civilian residences from ongoing attacks.
Repeated attacks and humanitarian crisis
Wednesday’s violence follows a previous attack on a maternity ward that resulted in eight fatalities just a day earlier.
The RSF’s relentless offensive against el-Fasher is part of a broader struggle for control against the regular Sudanese army. The ongoing conflict, which began in April 2023, has led to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with estimates suggesting tens of thousands have died and 15 million people displaced.
UN reports indicate that nearly 25 million individuals are facing severe food insecurity, marking this situation as one of the largest humanitarian crises globally. Activists describe el-Fasher as an “open-air morgue,” as the city grapples with providing for its starving population amid the chaos.
The RSF has enforced a blockade since May 10, 2024, worsening the situation despite international warnings.
The desperate plight of civilians
With around 400,000 residents trapped in the city, access to medical care has become alarmingly limited. Nearly 80 percent of households in need of healthcare in el-Fasher are unable to receive it, as reported by the UN. Medical teams, already stretched thin, face daily challenges in treating the injured against the backdrop of ongoing violence.
Resource scarcity and humanitarian efforts
The prolonged siege has led to a critical shortage of basic supplies. El-Fasher has been cut off for approximately 18 months, leaving families with dwindling resources. Animal feed, once a vital source of sustenance for many families, is now scarce and prohibitively priced. Additionally, local soup kitchens, essential for providing meals to the needy, have closed due to lack of food supplies, according to volunteer groups coordinating aid efforts.
Since the onset of the civil war, over one million residents have fled el-Fasher, with the rate of displacement accelerating in recent months. This exodus has been driven largely by the RSF’s increased military operations following their loss of territory in the capital, Khartoum, earlier this year. The international community watches with concern as the humanitarian situation in Sudan continues to worsen.
