Sudan, a team of Médecins Sans Frontières attacked in Khartoum, not far from the Turkish hospital that the organization manages

ROME – The latest incident of violence involving the staff of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Khartoum, Sudan, has jeopardized the organization’s continued presence in one of the city’s hospitals. On the afternoon of 20 July, an MSF team of 18 people, while transporting medical supplies to a Turkish hospital in the south of the capital, was stopped by a group of armed men. After discussing the reasons for MSF’s presence, the gunmen physically attacked the team, they detained the driver of one of the vehicles and threatened him with death, then released him. Eventually they stole the vehicle.

The voice of Doctors Without Borders. “If our ability to transport medical supplies continues to be hampered, then unfortunately, our presence in the Turkish hospital will soon become unsustainable,” comments Christophe Garnier, Emergency Manager for Sudan. Following this incident, MSF warns that the hospital’s operations are in serious danger and that the organization will not be able to continue providing medical assistance if minimum safety guarantees are not met.

The Turkish hospital. It is one of the two hospitals opened in the south of Khartoum, and is supported by MSF, one of the few international medical humanitarian organizations still present in the city, in support of hospitals in East Khartoum and Omdurman, as well as in South Khartoum. In addition, of course, to the historic presence of EMERGENCYwith the Salam Center of cardiac surgery, which has been operating for 16 years in Sudan. The latest attack took place just 700 meters from the hospital, where hundreds of patients, including children, are currently being treated. Yesterday alone, the facility welcomed 44 patients who were injured