December 16, El Fasher — On Saturday, the Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, was hit in a drone attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and is no longer operational. It was the last functioning hospital in the city. At least nine people were killed and 20 others injured in the attack.
A drone fired four missiles on the hospital overnight, destroying wards, waiting areas and other facilities, said the state health minister Ibrahim Khatir and the El Fasher resistance committee, a pro-democracy group monitoring violence.
On Saturday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization condemned the attack on X. “These continued attacks on health across Sudan are deplorable,” he wrote. “We urge for the protection of all patients and health professionals, and for all attacks on and around health facilities to stop.”
Fierce fighting continues to take place in El Fasher, the last stronghold of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the region. The city has been a battleground since May as the RSF attempt to take it over.
The strike followed other attacks in the area. The Sudan War Monitor estimates that nearly 200 people were killed this week in airstrikes in North Darfur.
On Tuesday, the RSF shelled the Zamzam displacement camp, about 15km from El Fasher, killing five people. The death toll from strikes on Zamzam has now reached 73, a government official said on Friday. Nearly 460 people have also been wounded and thousands have been forced to flee.