Sudan: Detained MSF medics released in Khartoum

Nine Sudanese and international staff members of Doctors Without Borders (MSF), who were detained by security forces in Khartoum on Monday, were released today, the international humanitarian medical organisation has confirmed.

In a statement yesterday, MSF reported that the nine members of staff were held after they had performed their work, which includes treating civilians injured in protests, as well as COVID-19 patients, at El Jawda Hospital in Khartoum on Monday evening.

Sudan’s Joint Physicians’ Office condemned the detentions as “a clear violation of international and humanitarian laws, traditions, and norms,”, calling the incident “a continuation of the coup authority’s violations against civilians, medical, and health personnel, and the sanctity of hospitals.

In its statement, the office held the coup council and its forces for the safety of all MSF workers and for the safety of all doctors and health staff. The statement demanded the immediate release of the MSF workers.

The Joint Physicians’ Office as well reported that the authorities deliberately impeded the arrival of injured in the January 24 demonstrations to health facilities on Monday evening.

The office said in a statement that forces stationed near the Royal Care Hospital in Khartoum fired live ammunition to impede the treatment of the injured, amid a state of panic that afflicted patients and medical staff.

"The attack on hospitals is a clear violation of local and international health laws and norms, and a clear violation of the right to life," the statement reads. "This behaviour has been constantly repeated since the coup."