Médecins sans frontières (MSF) condemns a despicable attack on its ambulance in El Fasher, killing one passenger

On January 10, an MSF ambulance was shot at in El Fasher, North Darfur, by an unknown gunman while referring a female patient in labor requiring emergency surgical procedure from MSF field hospital in Zamzam camp to Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, the only public hospital with surgical capacity still standing in the area despite relentless attacks.

In the clearly marked ambulance with the MSF logo and flag, were the patient, her two caretakers, MSF drivers and medical staff. One of the caretakers was fatally injured by the gunfire. She passed away after the crew eventually reached Saudi Hospital. This is the second shooting against an MSF ambulance in less than a month in El Fasher.

“We are horrified by this deadly attack on a humanitarian crew carrying out lifesaving medical work where it’s desperately needed. Our priority is to support the people who have been attacked and are obviously shocked. We also need to engage with all armed actors active in the area to understand what happened and obtain guarantees that patients, medical staff, ambulances and health facilities are respected to continue working”, says Michel Olivier Lacharité, MSF’s head of emergency operations.

An MSF ambulance was hit by bullets in El Fasher on 27 December during a similar referral of patients from Zamzam to Saudi Hospital, and no one was injured.

Fighting between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces allied with a coalition of armed groups have significantly escalated in the area since May 2024. MSF currently runs a field hospital in Zamzam camp, where people face repeated shelling from the RSF after months of siege and starvation. Because of the worsening security conditions, we had to suspend part of our medical services, like the outpatient program for malnourished children, to focus on the most critical cases requiring hospital care. Since December, we have treated 51 people injured by the shelling in Zamzam.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Médecins sans frontières (MSF).