Doctors Without Borders: RSF Bombs Saudi Hospital, Killing Pharmacist
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Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced the death of a pharmacist following a Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attack on the pharmacy of the Saudi Hospital last Friday. The attack also resulted in the deaths of two civilians—one near the hospital and another near MSF staff housing—as well as an unspecified number of injuries.
In a statement, MSF reported that the bombing caused damage to the hospital pharmacy, which remains open and continues to treat patients, albeit partially operational and in urgent need of additional supplies to continue treating the wounded.
MSF warned that the ongoing attacks on hospitals and the inability to deliver external aid to the city due to intense violence pose severe challenges.
"We are witnessing a series of attacks and counterattacks in El Fasher, with hospitals not being spared, and the warring parties failing to uphold their responsibilities to protect civilians," said Michel-Olivier Lacharité, Head of Emergency Operations at MSF.
He added, "Since the fighting began six weeks ago, over 260 people have been killed and more than 1,630 injured, including women and children. We do not know if the hospitals are being deliberately targeted, but their protection is imperative. Civilians are trapped and unable to leave. Their lives must be safeguarded, and they must have access to medical care if needed."
This is the second time the Saudi Hospital has been affected since the fighting began, and the eighth time a hospital in the city has been bombed over the past six weeks. Two weeks ago, the Ministry of Health was forced to close the southern hospital after it was attacked for the fifth time. Prior to that, the children’s hospital had to close due to damage from an airstrike by the Sudanese Armed Forces. As a result, the Saudi Hospital, formerly a maternity hospital, is now the only healthcare facility in the city with surgical capabilities and the capacity to treat the wounded.
Lacharité warned that the ability of the health facility to remain open is also at risk.
"We urgently need to bring in more supplies and personnel to respond to this crisis, but the fighting is preventing us from doing so," he explained.
He urged the warring parties to protect civilians and hospitals and to enable safe access so that life-saving assistance can continue to be provided to people in El Fasher and those in the Zamzam camp, where there is still a catastrophic malnutrition crisis and an unknown number of people have fled since the fighting began.
