RSF Forces Force Closure of El Fasher Hospital After Violent Attack

El Fasher, North Darfur – The El Fasher South Hospital, the sole functioning medical facility in the city, has ceased operations following a brutal attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). On Saturday evening, RSF forces raided the hospital, assaulting patients, staff, and visitors, while also looting money, mobile phones, and even an ambulance. The army and allied armed movements eventually repelled the attackers after a fierce confrontation.

Director General of the Ministry of Health in North Darfur State, Ibrahim Abdallah, confirmed the hospital’s closure and the evacuation of patients and staff to safety. Sadly, several patients were reportedly executed, and visitors kidnapped during the assault, in addition to the theft of salaries, medications, and an ambulance, as well as the destruction of vehicles.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which jointly ran the hospital with the Ministry of Health, condemned the attack in a statement released by Michel Lacharite, the head of emergencies. Lacharite expressed outrage at the RSF’s gunfire within the hospital, emphasizing that such actions were not isolated incidents. The hospital had already been under siege for weeks, but the violence inside the medical facility crossed a dangerous line.

During the attack, the hospital only had 10 patients and a limited medical team present, as efforts were underway to transfer patients and services to other medical facilities due to the escalating violence. South Hospital was one of the two hospitals in El Fasher with surgical capabilities and served as the primary facility for treating war-related injuries. It had treated over 1,300 casualties between May 10 and June 6.

El Fasher has been embroiled in intense clashes since May 10, with the army and allied armed movements battling against the RSF. The ongoing conflict has led to a significant number of civilian casualties, widespread displacement, and extensive damage to infrastructure in the region. The RSF’s assault on El Fasher is viewed as an effort to take over the last remaining city in the Darfur region not under their control, following their successful capture of other states in the area over the past year.