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An attack on the only functional hospital in El Fasher, a besieged city in Sudan’s Darfur region, resulted in the deaths of around 70 people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The assault occurred as the country’s civil war intensified, with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) experiencing apparent battlefield losses to the Sudanese military and allied forces under Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan. International reactions included denunciations of the attack by Saudi Arabia and calls for an end to hostilities from global health officials.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, shared the death toll on social media, noting that 19 others were injured. Another healthcare facility in Al Malha also sustained damage. The RSF has claimed responsibility but denied specific blame, while local officials and Sudan’s Foreign Ministry accused them of using a drone attack to target the hospital.
El Fasher, home to over a million displaced people, remains under siege by the RSF. The city faces dire humanitarian conditions with months of violence and suffering. The Saudi hospital, near the front lines, continues operations despite repeated shelling, while efforts to restore access to vital facilities are hampered by the conflict.
The attack highlights the growing instability in Sudan, where a popular uprising led to the removal of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019 but was derailed by a coup involving Burhan and RSF leader Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo. The RSF is again blamed for genocidal actions in Darfur, with international groups urging an end to their violence.
Burhan visited the military’s Khartoum Command, showing solidarity with his troops as they rebuild. However, widespread conflict has killed over 28,000 people and forced millions from their homes, with some resorting to desperation measures like eating grass during famine.
This attack underscores the dire situation in Sudan, where civilian casualties are a tragic reflection of a failing state and ongoing violence against ethnic groups. Efforts to achieve peace remain fraught with challenges.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/sudan-war-hospital-attack-fasher-53f41de57ca442ed5dd3a8a1312f4052