Darfur: Children’s legs amputated after deadly traffic accident

Doctors have amputated the legs of three pupils from Rokoro locality, who were caught in last week's deadly traffic accident involving school children.

The three pupils, between 16 and 18 years old, each lost one leg in the accident on Saturday 18 March. The father of one of the three children reported the amputation to Radio Dabanga.

More than nine large vehicles were transferring 976 pupils from Rokoro in Jebel Marra to the school exam location in Zalingei in Central Darfur when one bus overturned on the rugged road.

One child was killed and 48 others sustained injuries. In the following days 42 pupils were discharged from the hospitals in Nyala and El Fasher while six children remained in El Fasher for surgery and further treatment.

There is currently a number of children with various fractures who require surgery and prostheses. Several of them have already had a leg amputated, the father of one of the patients said.

March is the month of certificate examinations for basic school children and secondary school children. Schools in Jebel Marra, in particular in areas of armed conflict between government forces and armed movements, often transfer their pupils to safer localities in South or Central Darfur for the duration of the examination period.