As the conflict in Sudan rages for the ninth day, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that 413 people have died so far in the violence, while the UN children's agency said children are paying a high price, with at least nine reportedly killed in the fighting and more than 50 badly injured, Turkish News Agency Anadolu reported.
At a UN press briefing, WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said, “According to the Ministry of Health in Sudan, the number of health facilities that have stopped working is 20. And also, according to Ministry of Health numbers, the number of health facilities at risk of stopping is 12.”
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Meanwhile, foreign governments have started evacuating diplomats, staff and others trapped in Sudan.
The power struggle between the Sudanese military, led by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the RSF, led by Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, has dealt a harsh blow to Sudan's heady hopes for a democratic transition.
The rival generals came to power after a pro-democracy uprising led to the ouster of the former strongman, al-Bashir. In 2021, they joined forces to seize power in a coup.
The current violence came after Burhan and Dagalo fell out over a recent internationally brokered deal with democracy activists that was meant to incorporate the RSF into the military and eventually lead to civilian rule.
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Both Burhan and Dagalo, each craving international legitimacy, have accused the other of obstructing the evacuations. The Sudanese military alleged the RSF had opened fire on a French convoy, wounding a French national.
Thousands have fled Khartoum and other hotspots, according to UN agencies. Up to 20,000 people abandoned their homes in the western region of Darfur for neighbouring Chad.
(With inputs from AP)
