Drone Strike in Sudan's Darfur Kills 67 at Hospital
Deadly Attack Targets One of El-Fasher's Few Operational Hospitals Amid Ongoing Conflict
PORT SUDAN: A drone attack on one of the last operational hospitals in El-Fasher, located in Sudan's Darfur region, resulted in the deaths of 67 individuals, with many others sustaining injuries, according to local activists and a medical source on Saturday.
The revised death toll includes 37 individuals who succumbed to their injuries a day after the attack.
The Saudi Hospital's emergency building was reportedly destroyed during the bombing late on Friday, the source disclosed, adding that several injured individuals continue to receive medical care, although precise numbers remain unavailable.
The anonymity of the source stems from concerns of potential retaliation.
As of now, it remains unverified which faction involved in Sudan's ongoing conflict initiated the strike.
Since April 2023, hostilities have ensued between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with the RSF having control over most of the Darfur region.
In May, the group implemented a siege on El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, but has faced pushback from militias allied with the army.
Last week, the RSF issued an ultimatum that demanded the withdrawal of army forces and their allies from El-Fasher by Wednesday, preceding a planned offensive.
Local activists have since reported sporadic clashes, including RSF artillery fire targeting the Abu Shouk displacement camp, which has been severely impacted by famine.
On Friday morning, heavy shelling in the camp resulted in eight further deaths, as reported by the Darfur General Coordination of Camps for the Displaced and Refugees.
The United Nations has expressed significant concern over the situation, urging both conflicting parties to ensure the safety of the civilian population in El-Fasher, currently estimated at two million residents.
'The people of El-Fasher have suffered so much already,' stated Seif Magango, spokesperson for the UN rights office, on Wednesday.
The revised death toll includes 37 individuals who succumbed to their injuries a day after the attack.
The Saudi Hospital's emergency building was reportedly destroyed during the bombing late on Friday, the source disclosed, adding that several injured individuals continue to receive medical care, although precise numbers remain unavailable.
The anonymity of the source stems from concerns of potential retaliation.
As of now, it remains unverified which faction involved in Sudan's ongoing conflict initiated the strike.
Since April 2023, hostilities have ensued between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with the RSF having control over most of the Darfur region.
In May, the group implemented a siege on El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, but has faced pushback from militias allied with the army.
Last week, the RSF issued an ultimatum that demanded the withdrawal of army forces and their allies from El-Fasher by Wednesday, preceding a planned offensive.
Local activists have since reported sporadic clashes, including RSF artillery fire targeting the Abu Shouk displacement camp, which has been severely impacted by famine.
On Friday morning, heavy shelling in the camp resulted in eight further deaths, as reported by the Darfur General Coordination of Camps for the Displaced and Refugees.
The United Nations has expressed significant concern over the situation, urging both conflicting parties to ensure the safety of the civilian population in El-Fasher, currently estimated at two million residents.
'The people of El-Fasher have suffered so much already,' stated Seif Magango, spokesperson for the UN rights office, on Wednesday.
