SUDANESE STAFF TAKEN FROM HOSPITAL BY RSF

Yesterday, a number of Sudanese staff members at EMERGENCY’s Paediatric Centre in Nyala, South Darfur, were taken from the hospital and arrested by the Rapid Support Forces. It seems they are still being held.

EMERGENCY has been present in Nyala since 2020, providing free medical care to mothers, children and cardiac patients. Since the outbreak of war on 15 April, the Centre has continued its work to guarantee essential assistance to a population heavily affected by the conflict. In the last three weeks the hospital has remained open with great difficulty due to the increasing intensity of fighting. However, EMERGENCY managed to stay in touch with the staff until last Tuesday, when the situation seemed to be improving.

At the moment we have not received any communication from the RSF and we have lost contact with the remaining staff members, which since the beginning of the war has only been possible via satellite phone. We therefore have no certainty as to the number of staff members arrested or their identities, except for what we have learned from a video circulating on social media.

EMERGENCY asks for the safety of its staff to be ensured, for them to be released immediately, and for the Paediatric Centre to be respected so that it can continue its activities in support of the local population.