At least 70 people were killed and 19 injured in an attack on the Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital in El Fasher, the World Health Organization (WHO) chief confirmed on Sunday.&nbsp;The attack on the only operational medical facility in&nbsp;north Darfur city&nbsp;follows&nbsp;recent escalations in the African nation&rsquo;s civil war.&nbsp;
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared the casualty figures on X, describing the hospital as &ldquo;packed with patients receiving care&rdquo; at the time of the assault. Local officials had earlier cited a similar death toll, but Ghebreyesus&rsquo; statement marks the first confirmation from an international source.
&ldquo;The appalling attack on Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, Sudan, led to 19 injuries and 70 deaths among patients and companions,&rdquo; Ghebreyesus wrote. &ldquo;At the time of the attack, the hospital was packed with patients receiving care.&rdquo;
The attack, reportedly carried out by the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF), comes amid intensified clashes in Sudan&rsquo;s ongoing civil war. The RSF has faced recent battlefield setbacks against the Sudanese military, led by army chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan. On Saturday, Burhan&rsquo;s&nbsp;forces claimed to have seized an oil refinery north of Khartoum, further escalating tensions.
Another health facility in Al Malha was also attacked on Saturday, according to Ghebreyesus. The WHO has condemned the attacks, reiterating calls for a cessation of violence against healthcare facilities and urging immediate restoration of damaged infrastructure.
&ldquo;Sudan&rsquo;s people need peace. The best medicine is peace,&rdquo; Ghebreyesus said in his statement.
The civil war, which began in April 2023, has devastated Sudan, with both sides accused of atrocities. International efforts to mediate, including sanctions and accusations of genocide against the RSF, have so far failed to halt the violence. Communication challenges and conflicting claims from both the RSF and Sudanese military continue to hinder accurate reporting on the conflict.

Only operational medical facility in El Fasher was ‘packed with patients receiving care'

70 Killed in Sudan Hospital Attack: WHO Chief

Only operational medical facility in El Fasher was ‘packed with patients receiving care'

January 26, 2025 | 14:13 IST