MSF withdraws from North Darfur, fears safety after drone strikes

November 6, 2025 (PARIS) – Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced on Thursday it has been forced to temporarily withdraw its teams from parts of North Darfur, citing a dangerous increase in drone attacks that threaten the safety of its staff and patients.

The decision follows a “horrifying attack” on November 3, when a drone struck Kornoi Hospital. MSF reported the strike killed and injured several patients, including children and two pregnant women.

The escalating attacks in the Kornoi, Tine, and Um Baru areas have forced many civilians to flee across the border into Chad. MSF teams in Tine, Chad, have received at least 50 patients injured in these drone strikes since October 24.

“MSF is deeply concerned about the impact of drone strikes on civilians and humanitarian access and horrified that a hospital was hit,” said Dago Inagbe, MSF Coordinator for North Darfur. “Attacks on healthcare facilities endanger lives and force some of the few remaining health services to shut down.”

The organization stated its teams are “working to return” to support the few remaining healthcare facilities, but noted that “repeated drone strikes make this challenging.”

MSF reiterated that hospitals “must always be safe places” and called for humanitarian workers to be able to move safely to provide essential care.