On Thursday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group attacked a Saudi hospital and a local mosque in El Fasher on Tuesday and Wednesday, where displaced families had sought refuge. The Saudi hospital, described as the last functioning medical facility in the city, serves thousands of war-affected people and has become a crucial lifeline for the local population.
OCHA strongly condemned the attacks and highlighted the ongoing threat to civilians and essential services in El Fasher, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) reported that the maternity ward at the hospital was targeted, resulting in 12 deaths and numerous injuries among patients and healthcare workers. This marked the third attack on the facility in one week, prompting urgent calls for the protection of civilians and health infrastructure.
El Fasher has been under siege for over a year, with the RSF, formerly the Janjaweed militias, intensifying artillery and drone attacks to capture the city. The violence is part of Sudan’s broader civil war, ongoing since April 2023, which has triggered one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Over 30 million people are in need of assistance, and approximately 12 million have been displaced, including more than four million who fled to neighboring countries such as Chad and the Central African Republic.
The crisis has been further compounded by communal clashes. On 7 and 8 October, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded the displacement of around 250 people from Kernoi near the Chad border following conflicts within the Zaghawa tribe. Civilians continue to flee El Fasher and nearby Zamzam camp, which has seen its population drop from 700,000 in March to 200,000 in September. Many displaced families have relocated to nearby towns like Tawila, now hosting approximately 600,000 people.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric emphasized the urgent need for safe humanitarian access, protection of civilians, and an immediate humanitarian pause in and around El Fasher. Humanitarian agencies remain committed to supporting the affected population but stress that continued hostilities severely hinder lifesaving assistance and recovery efforts.
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