The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has suspended its operations in Sudan’s North Darfur due to intense fighting in the area, the organisation announced on Monday.
The camp, home to approximately half a million people displaced by Sudan’s ongoing civil war, has been a critical site for humanitarian aid.
The MSF had been one of the few organisations still operating in the camp, providing a field hospital that treated wounded civilians from recent attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and offering care for malnourished children.
The charity reported treating 139 patients with gunshot and shrapnel wounds in its hospital this month alone, though 11 patients died due to a lack of necessary medical equipment.
Despite the urgent humanitarian needs in the region, MSF announced its decision to suspend all activities in the camp due to the proximity of the fighting, severe logistical challenges in delivering supplies, and the risk to both staff and civilians.
MSF’s Head of Mission in Sudan, Yahya Kalilah, explained that the volatile security situation and difficulties in evacuating staff left the organisation with no other option but to withdraw.
The suspension of MSF’s operations comes amid continued clashes between the RSF and the Sudanese army, which began in April 2023 and have resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, widespread hunger, and famine in many parts of Sudan.
