Drone Attack Devastates El Fashers Last Functioning Hospital Leaving Dozens Dead and Injured
Sudan- In a tragic escalation of violence in Sudan's Darfur region, a drone strike targeted the Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, resulting in significant casualties and rendering the facility inoperative. The attack occurred in the early hours of December 15, 2024, when a drone launched four guided missiles at the hospital, leading to the deaths of at least nine individuals and injuring over twenty others.
The Saudi Hospital was the last operational medical facility in El Fasher, providing critical healthcare services to the city's residents amid ongoing conflict. The destruction of this hospital has left the city without any functioning healthcare centers, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
The Federal Ministry of Health has attributed the attack to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group involved in the ongoing conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). According to reports, the RSF fired four rocket-propelled grenades towards the hospital, causing extensive damage to its infrastructure and severely impacting its ability to provide medical services.
This incident is part of a series of violent attacks in the region. Earlier in the week, more than 100 people, including women and children, were killed in an airstrike on an open-air market in Kabkabiya, a town in northern Darfur. Additionally, the RSF shelled the Zamzam displacement camp, located approximately 15 kilometers from El Fasher, resulting in the deaths of five individuals.
The international community has expressed deep concern over these developments. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, condemned the attack on the Saudi Hospital, stating, "These continued attacks on health across Sudan are deplorable. We urge for the protection of all patients and health professionals and for all attacks on and around health facilities to stop."
The destruction of the Saudi Hospital not only signifies a severe blow to the healthcare infrastructure in El Fasher but also highlights the escalating violence and disregard for civilian lives in the conflict. The loss of the city's last functioning hospital leaves countless individuals without access to essential medical care, compounding the suffering of a population already besieged by war.
As the conflict between the RSF and SAF continues, the humanitarian situation in Darfur remains dire. The international community is calling for immediate measures to protect civilians, ensure the safety of healthcare facilities, and hold accountable those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law.
The attack on the Saudi Hospital serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of armed conflict on vulnerable populations and the critical importance of safeguarding medical facilities and personnel in times of war.
