News Center – In recent days, the city of El-Fasher has witnessed a sharp escalation of violence, dramatically worsening the humanitarian crisis. The near-total collapse of the local health system has sparked warnings of an increasingly dire humanitarian catastrophe in the region.
In an official statement issued on Thursday, October 30, the WHO condemned the killing of more than 460 patients and their companions, as well as the abduction of six healthcare workers, during an attack that took place a few days ago on the Saudi Maternity Hospital in El-Fasher, North Darfur.
The organization stated that this tragic incident occurred amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in the city, as escalating violence, deteriorating living conditions, widespread hunger, and disease have caused a large number of civilian casualties, including children, alongside the near-total collapse of the local health system.
On October 26, the Saudi Maternity Hospital — the only partially functioning medical facility in the region — was attacked for the fourth time in a month. The assault left one nurse dead and three healthcare workers injured. Two days later, six medical staff members — including four doctors, a nurse, and a pharmacist — were abducted. Reports indicate that a massacre occurred inside the hospital, where over 460 patients and companions were shot dead.
Since the conflict erupted in El-Fasher, North Darfur, 46 healthcare workers have been killed, including the Director of Primary Health Care at the State Ministry of Health, while 48 others have been injured. The fate of employees from three humanitarian organizations in the city remains unknown.
The WHO strongly condemned these repeated attacks on healthcare facilities, calling for respect for the sanctity of medical services and the safety of healthcare workers, in accordance with international humanitarian law.
More than 260,000 people remain trapped in El-Fasher, suffering from almost total shortages of food, clean water, and medical care. The recent surge in violence has forced about 28,000 people to flee the city — including 26,000 who have displaced to rural areas around El-Fasher, and up to 2,000 who fled to Tawila. It is expected that over 100,000 additional people may move to Tawila in the coming days and weeks, joining 575,000 previous displaced persons from El-Fasher who have already sought refuge there and in other areas. Many of the displaced are women and unaccompanied children who are facing severe shortages of shelter, protection, food, water, and healthcare.