El Fasher’s South Hospital, the main medical facility in Sudan’s North Darfur State capital, was forced to close on Saturday following an attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The paramilitary group stormed the hospital, located in a military-controlled area, and engaged in violent clashes with the Sudanese army nearby.
Ibrahim Abdullah Khatir, director-general of North Darfur State’s Health Ministry, reported that RSF forces “attacked doctors and medical staff, and kidnapped hospital volunteers.” Eyewitnesses confirmed the assault, stating that the RSF “looted phones and belongings” of medical personnel.
Despite the closure of South Hospital, which is the city’s primary facility for mass casualty events, Khatir assured that two civilian hospitals, two military hospitals, and 12 health centres remain operational in El Fasher.
This latest attack is part of an ongoing escalation in the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, which began in the city on May 10th. Since then, the clashes have resulted in 288 civilian deaths and 1,300 injuries.
Nationwide, the conflict has claimed an estimated 15,550 lives and displaced over 8.8 million people, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The South Hospital, crucial for responding to mass casualty cases, has been repeatedly shelled since the conflict began, highlighting the devastating impact of the ongoing violence on healthcare services in the region.
