Local security conflict

More than 460 patients and companions were reportedly killed in a maternity hospital in Sudan’s El Fasher, as atrocities against civilians continue in the region, UN humanitarian agencies said Wednesday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that satellite imagery has corroborated evidence of ongoing mass killings in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, during the 48 hours following Sunday’s takeover by the Rapid Support Forces, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 185 attacks on healthcare facilities in Sudan since the conflict began in April 2023, resulting in 1,204 deaths and 416 injuries of health workers and patients, excluding the latest attacks. This year alone, 966 people have died in 49 reported attacks.The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 36,000 people fled El Fasher between Sunday and Tuesday. Many remain stranded due to insecurity and limited transport options.OCHA is coordinating emergency assistance about 40 km away in Tawila, where displaced families face overcrowded conditions with inadequate shelter, sanitation, and protection, urgently needing food, water, health care, and safe shelter.UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher approved a $20 million allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support emergency aid in Tawila and other locations in Darfur and Kordofan, supplementing $27 million already allocated in 2025.The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies condemned the killing of five Sudanese Red Crescent volunteers and the disappearance of three others while distributing food in Bara, North Kordofan. Since April 2023, 21 Red Crescent staff and volunteers have been killed.OCHA reiterated that civilians, humanitarian workers, and medical personnel must be protected, urging all parties to halt hostilities, guarantee safe passage, and ensure sustained humanitarian access to affected areas.