El Fasher death toll mounts as conflict grinds on

October 14, 2024 (EL FASHER) – Hundreds of civilians have been killed and injured in El Fasher, Sudan, over the past six weeks as fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies, a health official said on Monday.

Ibrahim Khater, Director General of the Ministry of Health in North Darfur State, told Sudan Tribune that clashes have claimed the lives of 80 civilians and wounded 520 others since September.

This adds to the grim toll reported by Doctors Without Borders in August, which documented 370 deaths and 2,500 injuries in their supported hospitals alone.

The ongoing violence has crippled El Fasher’s healthcare system. Khater highlighted a severe shortage of medical personnel, with many doctors fleeing the conflict. Hospitals are struggling with limited supplies, including a lack of essential medicines for malaria, chronic diseases, and cancer treatment.

Adding to the challenges, the Ministry of Health accused the RSF of shelling the Saudi Hospital on Sunday, killing a medical worker and injuring two others. The Saudi Hospital is the last remaining public facility in El Fasher equipped to handle surgeries and complex medical cases.

The RSF began its siege of El Fasher in April, launching sustained attacks on the city starting May 10 in a bid to wrest control of the strategically important town from the Sudanese army.