A deadly drone attack on the Saudi Hospital in El-Fasher, located in Sudan’s Darfur region, has left 67 people dead and dozens more injured, according to a medical source. The attack, which took place on Friday evening, resulted in the destruction of the hospital’s building where emergency cases were being treated.
The Saudi Hospital was one of the last remaining functioning medical facilities in the area, making this attack particularly devastating for the local population. The source, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, told AFP that the destruction of the hospital has worsened an already dire humanitarian situation in Darfur. This hospital had been previously hit by an RSF drone a few weeks ago, and ongoing attacks on healthcare facilities have only intensified the region’s suffering.
The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has ravaged the region since April 2023. While the RSF has seized nearly the entire Darfur region, they have been unable to capture El-Fasher, the state capital of North Darfur. Army-aligned militias have repeatedly pushed back the RSF forces, preventing them from claiming the city. However, the warring factions’ clashes continue to devastate the local population and infrastructure.
As of now, it is unclear which of the warring factions launched the drone attack, but it comes as part of a broader pattern of violence that has left healthcare services severely compromised in Sudan. According to medical charity Doctors Without Borders, the Saudi Hospital was the only public hospital with surgical capacity still operational in the area. Across Sudan, up to 80 percent of healthcare facilities have been forced out of service due to the ongoing conflict.
The humanitarian crisis in Sudan continues to worsen, with tens of thousands already killed and millions displaced. Famine is already ravaging three displacement camps—Zamzam, Abu Shouk, and Al-Salam—with further spread expected as more areas, including El-Fasher itself, face the risk of mass starvation. According to a UN-backed assessment, these conditions are expected to intensify over the coming months.
The destruction of the hospital is just the latest example of the brutal toll the ongoing war is taking on Sudan’s civilians, exacerbating an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis. The international community has been called to respond, but the road to peace remains uncertain as the violence continues unabated.
Sources By Agencies
