Sudan: Voice note and Update from El Fasher

There has now been intense fighting in El Fasher for more than three weeks, with heavy shelling and shooting continuing to impact on the city. Homes and markets have been hit, as well as hospitals, meaning that nowhere is safe for civilians. There is a mass casualty event almost every day.

On Friday, we received 62 wounded - 18 passed away. On Saturday, we received 77 wounded - 17 passed away. ​

Since the fighting began on May 10 we have received 1,280 casualties at the MSF-supported South Hospital - 203 have died from their injuries.

With the number of casualties continuing to rise, we are running low on supplies. We have supplies ready to travel whenever conditions will allow, but it has not yet been possible for us to bring them to the city.

At the same time as receiving the wounded, South Hospital itself has also been impacted by the fighting. This happened three times in the space of one week alone, putting the lives of patients, their care givers and health workers in continual jeopardy. Many inside the hospital have been injured in these incidents - some have been killed - and people are afraid. South Hospital is the only hospital in the city capable of responding to mass casualty events, so it is a vital lifeline for the wounded - it is the only place where civilians can receive treatment for their injuries. If it continues to be impacted by the fighting, there is a very real risk that it will become non-functional - either by sustaining further damage, or by a direct hit. If this happens, there will be nowhere left for civilians to go at all. We already believe that there are many people who are unable to reach the hospital because it is too dangerous for them to get there. We are in discussions with the Ministry of Health to see if South Hospital can be relocated to a safer location, but the intensity of the fighting means that there are very few options available. South Hospital remains open and fully operational, and we want it to stay that way. We urge the warring parties to avoid it and to protect civilians, health workers and health structures from the fighting.

One hospital has already become non-functional since the fighting began - this was Babiker Nahar paediatric hospital. Thankfully, the Ministry of Health has now managed to find a new facility where some of the children who were receiving temporary treatment in South Hospital can be cared for - they were moved there from South Hospital a few days ago. However, it only has 30 beds. Babiker Nahar had 80 beds, so the space for children to receive specialist treatment in El Fasher has been reduced by more than half since the fighting began. Some of the children who were relocated from Babiker Nahar are still receiving treatment in South Hospital, which is not a conducive environment for them, but it is currently the only option.

(All data up to date as of 3 June)

Please find below a voicenote recorded on the evening of June 3rd by The data is up to June 3. Also attached is a voice note from Abdifatah Yusuf Ibrahim, MSF Project Coordinator in North Darfur. ​