(MENAFN) A deadly artillery strike by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed at least 12 civilians and wounded 17 others at a hospital in North Darfur, local medical personnel reported Wednesday.

The shelling targeted El-Fasher Hospital, a key health facility in the besieged city. Among those injured were a female doctor and a member of the nursing staff, according to the Sudan Doctors Network.

The network condemned the attack, calling it a “full-fledged war crime” and accusing the RSF of “a complete disregard for the lives of civilians and international laws that protect health facilities and their workers.”

It issued an urgent plea to the international community and the UN Security Council to intervene immediately, urging protection for hospitals and civilian homes in El-Fasher, where the healthcare infrastructure has suffered extensive damage.

There has been no official response from the RSF regarding the incident.

Since May 10, 2024, the RSF has enforced a blockade on El-Fasher, a critical logistical and humanitarian hub for all five Darfur states. This siege continues despite repeated international warnings over its impact on civilian life and aid delivery.

The wider conflict between the RSF and Sudanese army forces, which erupted in April 2023, has led to the deaths of over 20,000 people and displaced around 15 million, according to UN and local figures. However, a separate study by U.S. universities places the estimated death toll much higher—approaching 130,000.

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