On December 18, 2024, ten civilians were reported killed and twenty others injured due to airstrikes by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, Sudan. Local activists confirmed that the main hospital in the city was targeted, along with other areas.
The El Fasher Resistance Committees, a volunteer group in Sudan, stated on Facebook that the civilian death toll had reached ten, with twenty injured as a result of the bombardment. This follows a previous attack on the hospital last Friday, which resulted in nine deaths and twenty injuries, prompting the World Health Organization to report the facility had to suspend its activities.
The recent airstrikes have severely damaged hospital facilities, including wards, pharmacies, and operating rooms. A doctor from the hospital, speaking anonymously, noted that emergency services were entirely destroyed.
El Fasher has been under siege for months, experiencing some of the most intense clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF. Last week, a Sudanese army airstrike on a market in North Darfur killed over 100 people and injured hundreds more, according to the Emergency Lawyers Group.
The ongoing conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced over 11 million people, leading the United Nations to label it as one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history. Both the army and RSF have been accused of indiscriminately targeting civilians and medical facilities.
With the continuous bombardment, healthcare workers like Dr. Mohamed Moussa continue to operate in a crumbling health system amid unprecedented humanitarian crises, famine, and insecurity. Dr. Moussa, a 30-year-old general practitioner at Al-No Hospital in Omdurman, described the situation as dire, stating, 'We have no choice but to continue,' despite the sounds of gunfire and aircraft overhead.
At Al-No Hospital, which has also been targeted, medical staff report treating severe gunshot wounds and burns, including injuries in infants as young as four months. Satellite imagery shows that nearly half of the 87 hospitals in Khartoum have suffered significant damage since April 2023.
In October, the World Health Organization recorded 119 attacks on healthcare facilities, including bombings and armed assaults. Kyle McNally, a humanitarian advisor for Doctors Without Borders, emphasized the complete disregard for civilian protection, highlighting extensive damage leading to a deterioration of health services.
According to the Sudanese Doctors Syndicate, up to 90% of medical facilities in conflict zones have been forced to close, depriving millions of Sudanese access to care. The RSF has reportedly entered health institutions to treat their wounded or pursue enemies, while the army is accused of conducting airstrikes on hospitals. Since the conflict began, approximately 78 healthcare workers have been killed in their workplaces or homes.
On November 11, Doctors Without Borders suspended most of its activities at Bashair Hospital, one of the few remaining operational facilities in South Khartoum, after armed fighters stormed the establishment. Meanwhile, nearly 26 million people in Sudan are facing acute hunger, according to United Nations statistics.