Sudanese doctors issue urgent appeal for pregnant women fleeing conflict

The Sudan Doctors Network issued an urgent appeal on Tuesday for 243 pregnant women who fled attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group in the western city of El-Fasher. According to the medical group's statement, their teams have documented the arrival of more than 100 pregnant women in Tawila city within North Darfur state, while another 143 reached the Al-Dabba camp in the Northern State. The organization reported that "cases of miscarriage were recorded as the women fled from El-Fasher amid harsh conditions" during their displacement.

A Deepening Humanitarian Crisis

This medical emergency unfolds against the backdrop of massive civilian displacement from North Darfur's capital. The International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 100,000 people have fled El-Fasher since the RSF captured the city on October 26. The Sudan Doctors Network has specifically appealed to international and humanitarian organizations "to urgently provide support and strengthen health and medical services" for civilians escaping the conflict zone, emphasizing the need for protected childbirth environments and reduced health risks for displaced women and girls.

The Broader Conflict Context

The dire situation in Darfur represents one front in Sudan's wider civil war, which began in April 2023 between the national army and the RSF paramilitary group. The World Health Organization reports the conflict has killed at least 40,000 people and displaced 12 million nationwide. The RSF currently controls all five states comprising the Darfur region, which accounts for approximately one-fifth of Sudan's territory, while the army holds most of the remaining 13 states, including the capital Khartoum, where the majority of Sudan's 50 million residents live.