Worrying death toll after aerial attack on a Sudanese hospital

Airstrike in Sudan leaves numerous casualties at a medical facility

In the heart of Sudan's Darfur region, the city of El-Facher has been under relentless attack in recent weeks, according to aid organisations and eyewitnesses. The violence has left at least 19 people dead and dozens more injured over the weekend, as drone strikes targeted the already vulnerable city.

Reports from a source at El-Facher hospital point to the RSF militia as the perpetrators of these attacks. The RSF militia, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, is in a bloody power struggle with the army, led by military ruler Fattah al-Burhan, since April 2023.

The attacks have not spared hospitals and mosques in El-Facher. On Saturday, at least seven people were killed and 71 others injured in the bombing of El-Facher, the capital of North Darfur. Among the injured, 22 were said to be in critical condition.

The actual number of casualties is likely higher, as many victims could not reach the hospital due to heavy fire. The city is also facing a severe food crisis, with residents now consuming animal feed, which is also running out.

El-Facher is currently threatened by famine due to the lack of UN aid supplies reaching the city for months. The ongoing conflict has caused the "worst humanitarian crisis in the world," according to the United Nations.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed, and millions more displaced in the conflict, which has also seen the rebels controlling areas in the south of Sudan. If the RSF militia captures El-Facher, they will control all regional capitals in Darfur.

The suffering residents of El-Fasher are being aided by UNICEF, despite severe access blockades and attacks on aid convoys. Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) also provides medical support in the region under extremely difficult conditions.

Tragically, the Yashfeen Clinic in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, was also attacked by the Sudanese army on Saturday, with initial reports suggesting that dozens of civilians and medical personnel were killed in the drone strike.

The fighting in Sudan has reached a critical point, with medical facilities regularly attacked, and around 80% of them having closed down as a result. The organisation currently helping the suffering residents of El-Fasher is UNICEF, despite severe access blockades and attacks on aid convoys; additionally, Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) provides medical support in the region under extremely difficult conditions.

The Yashfeen Clinic attack is just another grim addition to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sudan's Darfur region. As the conflict continues, the international community must act swiftly to provide aid and ensure the safety of the civilians caught in the crossfire.