On January 10, an MSF ambulance was shot at in El Fasher, North Darfur, by an unknown gunman whereas referring a feminine affected person in labor requiring emergency surgical process from MSF area hospital in Zamzam camp to Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, the one public hospital with surgical capability nonetheless standing within the space regardless of relentless assaults.
Within the clearly marked ambulance with the MSF emblem and flag, had been the affected person, her two caretakers, MSF drivers and medical workers. One of many caretakers was fatally injured by the gunfire. She handed away after the crew ultimately reached Saudi Hospital. That is the second taking pictures in opposition to an MSF ambulance in lower than a month in El Fasher.
“We’re horrified by this lethal assault on a humanitarian crew finishing up lifesaving medical work the place it’s desperately wanted. Our precedence is to assist the individuals who have been attacked and are clearly shocked. We additionally want to have interaction with all armed actors lively within the space to grasp what occurred and acquire ensures that sufferers, medical workers, ambulances and well being amenities are revered to proceed working”, says Michel Olivier Lacharité, MSF’s head of emergency operations.
An MSF ambulance was hit by bullets in El Fasher on 27 December throughout an analogous referral of sufferers from Zamzam to Saudi Hospital, and nobody was injured.
Preventing between the Speedy Assist Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces allied with a coalition of armed teams have considerably escalated within the space since Might 2024. MSF at the moment runs a area hospital in Zamzam camp, the place folks face repeated shelling from the RSF after months of siege and hunger. Due to the worsening safety circumstances, we needed to droop a part of our medical providers, just like the outpatient program for malnourished kids, to deal with essentially the most vital instances requiring hospital care. Since December, we’ve handled 51 folks injured by the shelling in Zamzam.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).
