Attack on Sudan Hospital Claims 70 Lives Amid Ongoing Conflict

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A recent assault on a hospital in El Fascher, the capital of North Darfur, has resulted in the deaths of at least 70 individuals and injured 19 others, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The hospital was reportedly full at the time of the attack, which targeted both patients and their companions. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that the area had faced significant challenges in healthcare provision due to intense bombardments.

The hospital was noted as the only operational medical facility in El Fascher, providing essential services such as gynecology, obstetrics, internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and nutrition stabilization. Another healthcare facility in El Malha was also attacked the previous day, further disrupting medical care for local residents and displaced persons.

In light of these incidents, the WHO has called for an immediate cessation of attacks on health facilities and unrestricted access to restore damaged services, underscoring the urgent need for peace in Sudan.

This escalation follows a protracted struggle for power in Sudan, which has seen the military, led by de facto leader Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, clashing with former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo and his militia, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF has been besieging El Fascher since last May, which is the last major city in the region still under government control.

The UN's human rights office expressed concern over potential violence in El Fascher as the RSF issued an ultimatum to government troops to vacate the city. The ongoing conflict, which has been intensifying since April 2023, continues to pose severe risks to civilians and healthcare infrastructure, prompting humanitarian organizations to issue alerts about deteriorating conditions.

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