Armed assault on Darfur hospital kills one: MSF

Armed assault on Darfur hospital kills one: MSF
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An armed attack on a hospital in Sudan’s conflict-ridden Darfur region resulted in one fatality, according to medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which also announced it had to halt its operations there, Arab News reported. The assault, which occurred last week, left five others injured, including a health worker supported by MSF.

Since the outbreak of fighting in April 2023 between Sudan’s national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, over 120 aid workers have lost their lives, the United Nations reports. UN humanitarian coordinator Luca Renda emphasized the severe humanitarian crisis in Sudan, highlighting that frontline aid workers face attacks, detentions, harassment, and even death while trying to provide assistance.

The hospital, located in Zalingei—the capital of Central Darfur state—was targeted by armed relatives of a patient who had died from a gunshot wound. This confrontation escalated into clashes with other armed groups. A hand grenade detonated near the emergency room, causing the casualties.

This facility was the sole referral hospital serving approximately half a million people in the area, who are currently battling a severe cholera outbreak. The Sudanese doctors’ union reports that 90 percent of hospitals nationwide have been forced to close at some point during the conflict. Many have suffered repeated bombings, raids by armed fighters, and looting of essential supplies.

Healthcare workers have also been attacked and coerced into treating combatants under threat of violence. Nearly 25 million Sudanese people face extreme hunger, with millions cut off from critical humanitarian aid.