A drone attack on El-Fasher’s main hospital in western Sudan killed nine people and injured 20, forcing the facility to cease operations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed on Saturday.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned the assault, calling attacks on healthcare facilities deplorable. He urged for the protection of health workers and patients, adding, “All attacks on and around health facilities must stop.”
The Saudi Maternity Hospital in El-Fasher, targeted by four drone-guided missiles early Friday, sustained severe damage. The attack, attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) by Sudan’s army-aligned Health Ministry, hit areas housing patients’ companions, hospital wards, pharmacies, and operating theatres, a statement said.
A local doctor, speaking anonymously, confirmed the hospital has completely halted operations following the assault.
El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, has been under siege by RSF forces since May. It remains a focal point of intense clashes between the RSF and Sudan’s regular army in their bid for dominance in the Darfur region.
On Tuesday, a Sudanese military airstrike on a market in North Darfur claimed over 100 lives, according to pro-democracy groups. The conflict between the RSF and the army, ongoing since April 2023, has turned Darfur into a humanitarian disaster zone, with nearly the entire region under RSF control.
The war has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 11 million people across the country. Both warring factions have been accused of targeting civilians, medical facilities, and residential areas indiscriminately.
