Intensifying clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Fasher, Sudan, have left hundreds of civilians dead or wounded over the past six weeks, according to Ibrahim Khater, Director General of the Ministry of Health in North Darfur State. Khater reported that since September, the violence has claimed the lives of 80 civilians and left 520 others injured.
This adds to the alarming toll documented by Doctors Without Borders in August, where 370 deaths and 2,500 injuries were recorded in hospitals they support.
The ongoing violence has severely impacted El Fasher’s healthcare system, with medical staff fleeing the conflict and hospitals facing dire shortages of essential supplies. The lack of medication for treating malaria, chronic illnesses, and cancer is exacerbating the crisis.
Further compounding the situation, the Ministry of Health accused the RSF of shelling the Saudi Hospital, the last functioning public hospital in El Fasher capable of performing surgeries. The attack killed a medical worker and injured two others.
The RSF initiated its siege of El Fasher in April, with continued assaults since May in an effort to capture this strategically significant town from the Sudanese army