A maternity hospital in the besieged city of El Fasher has become the latest casualty of Sudan's brutal conflict, with the World Health Organization confirming a devastating attack that left patients and medical staff dead or injured.
The assault on the medical facility represents a shocking escalation in the violence gripping North Darfur's capital, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have intensified their offensive against Sudanese army positions.
Medical Sanctuary Violated
According to WHO reports, the RSF stormed the maternity unit in a move that humanitarian organisations have condemned as a gross violation of international law. The exact number of casualties remains unclear, but initial reports indicate multiple deaths and serious injuries among patients and healthcare workers.
"This is an unimaginable tragedy," a WHO spokesperson stated. "Attacking a hospital where pregnant women seek safe delivery and newborns receive care represents one of the most severe breaches of medical neutrality."
Darfur's Descent into Chaos
The El Fasher massacre comes as the city faces increasingly dire conditions. Essential supplies are running critically low, and thousands of civilians remain trapped with limited access to food, water, or medical care.
United Nations officials have repeatedly warned of potential war crimes in the region, with ethnic targeting becoming increasingly prevalent. The maternity hospital attack appears to be part of a broader pattern of medical facility targeting that has characterised the year-long conflict.
International Response Stalled
Despite growing evidence of atrocities, the international community has struggled to mount an effective response. Diplomatic efforts have repeatedly faltered, while humanitarian access remains severely restricted.
The UN Security Council has convened emergency sessions to address the escalating crisis, but concrete action has yet to materialise as the violence continues to claim innocent lives.
Medical organisations operating in the region report that the attack on the maternity hospital has further crippled an already collapsing healthcare system, leaving countless vulnerable patients without access to critical care.
