Sign in Subscribe
Human rights

Sudan's Paramilitary Group Kills Over 460 at Last Hospital in el-Fasher

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Aid organizations report that more than 460 patients and their companions were killed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) at the Saudi Maternity Hospital in el-Fasher, Sudan, one of the most devastating atrocities in the country's 2 1/2-year civil war. The World Health Organization has confirmed the reports, and human rights groups have condemned the attack. The hospital was one of the last functioning medical facilities in the city, and it is unclear how many of the staff members, including doctors, were taken captive or killed.

Key Takeaways:

  • The RSF, a paramilitary group, has been accused of genocide in Darfur and is now fighting for control of Sudan's resources, leading to a devastating civil war that has lasted over 2 1/2 years.
  • The attack on the Saudi Maternity Hospital is one of the worst atrocities in the war, with over 460 patients and their companions killed, according to human rights groups and the World Health Organization.
  • The RSF has targeted health care facilities before, with most of Sudan's hospitals either closed or in desperate condition.
  • The abduction of hospital staff, including doctors, is a concern, given the group's history of violence and ethnically targeted attacks.
  • Aid organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, are working to provide assistance to those who have fled el-Fasher, but there are fears of a potential bloodbath.

Statistics:

  • Over 460 patients and their companions were killed by the RSF at the Saudi Maternity Hospital in el-Fasher.
  • The war in Sudan has lasted over 2 1/2 years.
  • Most of Sudan's hospitals are either closed or in desperate condition.
  • The RSF is made up of former janjaweed fighters accused of genocide in Darfur.
  • 60 kilometers away from the site of the attack, aid teams are seeing an influx of people escaping el-Fasher.

Sources:

  • World Health Organization
  • NPR News
  • Sudan Doctors Network
  • Doctors Without Borders
  • United Nations Secretary General's Spokesman Stephane Dujarric

Read more