from RAJI BASHIR in Khartoum, Sudan
Sudan Bureau
KHARTOUM, (CAJ News) -THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has condemned the recent killing of more than 460 patients and their companions, as well as the abduction of six health workers in a hospital in El Fasher.
The latest tragedy is taking place in the rapidly worsening crisis in North Darfur’s El Fasher, where escalating violence, siege conditions and rising hunger and disease are killing civilians, including children, and collapsing an already-fragile health system.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is also gravely concerned at images and reports coming from Al Fasher, the besieged town.
The escalating violence has left thousands of children, already overwhelmed for more than 500 days, further trapped amid relentless shelling, heavy fighting, and severe shortages of food, safe water, and medicine.
“No child is safe,” said UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell.
“While the full scale of the impact remains unclear due to widespread communications blackouts, the estimated 130 000 children in Al Fasher are at a high risk of grave rights violations, with reports of abduction, killing and maiming, and sexual violence.”
There are also reports of humanitarian workers being detained or killed in Al Fasher.
UNICEF is calling for an immediate ceasefire to stop the violence, safe, unimpeded humanitarian access, the protection of civilians, especially children, and guaranteed safe passage for families seeking refuge, in line with international humanitarian law.
“Those responsible for violations must be held accountable,” Russell said.
A civil war began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
– CAJ News