Synopsis
UN humanitarians report that casualties from a market bombing in North Darfur, Sudan, are dying due to a lack of medical care. Ongoing conflict has severely hindered access to healthcare facilities, leading to alarming fatalities among the injured.Key Takeaways
- Inadequate medical care is causing casualties among bombing victims.
- Ongoing conflict has shut down most health facilities in El Fasher.
- Clementine Nkweta-Salami condemns attacks on civilians.
- Urgent need for humanitarian access and protection of civilians.
- Market bombing highlights the disregard for international humanitarian law.
United Nations, March 27 (NationPress) Some of the injured from a market bombing, which resulted in hundreds of casualties in North Darfur State, Sudan, are succumbing due to inadequate medical assistance, according to reports from UN humanitarians.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, stated at a daily briefing on Wednesday, "Our humanitarian colleagues report that there are alarming indications that some of the injured are dying from lack of access to timely medical care in El Fasher, where ongoing sieges and conflict have forced the majority of health facilities to shut down."
UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, remarked, "Monday's dreadful assault on the Tora market in North Darfur is yet another glaring indication of the increasing indifference to human life and international humanitarian law amidst this conflict."
Nkweta-Salami firmly condemned all intentional and indiscriminate attacks on civilians, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
"Markets, hospitals, schools, mosques, and private residences are not combat zones," she emphasized. "Yet civilians are being killed in areas where they should feel the most secure."
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, expressed his shock over reports indicating that hundreds of civilians lost their lives and many more were injured due to airstrikes by the Sudanese Armed Forces on the bustling market.
The spokesman reiterated the urgent need for the protection of civilians and safe passage for those fleeing active conflict zones. Humanitarian access must be guaranteed so that all individuals across North Darfur and beyond receive necessary aid.
The market, located approximately 35 km west of the beleaguered El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, was reportedly hit by aircraft from the armed forces. However, the government denied that any of its planes dropped bombs on the market, asserting that it does not target civilians.
The rebel paramilitary Rapid Support Forces accused the Sudanese Armed Forces of bombing the Tora market.
