At least 28 civilians have been killed and 39 others injured, including 10 women, following an attack by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in North Darfur, a medical group reported on Tuesday.
The Sudan Doctors Network said the casualties resulted from a rocket strike on the town of Mustariha in western Sudan. The assault reportedly destroyed the area’s only health Centre.
According to the group, medical personnel were also targeted during the attack. One healthcare worker was detained and remains missing. The strike has triggered fresh displacement, with residents fleeing to nearby villages and settlements amid already severe humanitarian conditions.
The Sudan Doctors Network described the attack as a “fully fledged crime” and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law prohibiting assaults on civilians.
It called on the international community to urgently protect displaced civilians, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian and medical assistance, and ensure accountability for those responsible.
The RSF currently controls four of Darfur’s five states in western Sudan, while parts of North Darfur remain under the authority of the Sudanese army. The military retains control over most other regions, including the capital, Khartoum. Darfur accounts for roughly one-fifth of Sudan’s territory, which spans more than 1.8 million square kilometres. The majority of the country’s estimated 50 million people live in areas held by the army.
Fighting between the RSF and the Sudanese armed forces erupted in April 2023 over plans to integrate the paramilitary group into the national military. The conflict has since fuelled famine conditions in what is widely regarded as one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises, leaving tens of thousands dead and millions displaced.
