The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed deep concern Thursday over devastating attacks in Sudan’s embattled Darfur region.
These recent incidents have claimed dozens of lives and left many wounded.
WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the situation as “shocking,” highlighting the dire toll of violence in Kabkabiya, North Darfur.
He shared his sympathies on X, formerly known as Twitter, lamenting the loss of at least 80 lives and the injuries of hundreds.
Reports from the pro-democracy Emergency Lawyers group suggest an even graver reality, with over 100 people killed in an airstrike.
The strike targeted Kabkabiya on its bustling weekly market day, where locals from nearby villages had gathered.
Women and children were among the injured, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the violence.
This attack was part of a broader wave of devastation across Sudan this week, where 176 lives were lost in just two days.
Both the General Abdel Fattah al Burhan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), locked in conflict since April 2023.
Sudan’s civil war has created a humanitarian catastrophe, killing tens of thousands and displacing 12 million people.
Nearly nine million internally displaced individuals live in regions with collapsing infrastructure, grappling with starvation.
The United Nations reports that half the population—around 26 million people—face acute hunger.
Darfur, a region roughly the size of France, bears the heaviest burden, hosting over half of Sudan’s displaced population.
The RSF controls most of Darfur, southern Kordofan, and central Sudan, while the army holds the north and east.
Tedros highlighted the strain on Darfur’s health facilities, which are overwhelmed by non-functional equipment and scarce medical supplies.
Recent WHO deliveries of trauma kits and surgical materials offer a glimmer of relief amid a grim reality.
The unfolding tragedy in Sudan demands urgent global attention to prevent further loss of life and alleviate immense suffering.
