Two Red Cross workers killed in South Darfur

Two drivers of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were killed, and three other employees were injured in an attack by gunmen in South Darfur yesterday.

“The ICRC’s priority is to support those most affected by this tragedy, in particular the victims’ relatives, and colleagues,” ICRC Regional director Patrick Youssef stated on social media yesterday evening.

The ICRC explained in a press statement yesterday that the team was on its way back from Layba in East Jebel Marra, South Darfur, to assess the humanitarian situation of communities affected by armed violence in the region when the incident occurred.

“We are in deep mourning for our dear colleagues. We extend our sincere condolences to their families, and we hope for a speedy recovery for our injured co-workers,” said Pierre Dorbes, the head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan.

“The ICRC’s priority is to support those most affected by this tragedy, in particular the victims’ families, relatives and colleagues,” the short statement reads.

“The ICRC calls for the immediate protection of all civilians, including humanitarian workers and medical personnel. They must never be directly attacked.”

The international organisation has been present in Sudan since 1978. Since April 2023, the ICRC’s work, independently or in partnership with the Sudanese Red Crescent society (SRCS), has included supplying medical materials to hospitals located near or in conflict areas, helping families separated by conflict keep in touch with their loved ones, and promoting international humanitarian law. The ICRC also works with local water authorities on improving people’s access to clean water.

On December 11 last year, Radio Dabanga reported that an ICRC humanitarian convoy was attacked by army soldiers in El Shajara in Khartoum the day before. Two people were killed, seven others, including three ICRC staff members, were wounded. The convoy would evacuate vulnerable civilians from the neighbourhood that was witnessing heavy fighting between the warring Sudanese Armed Forces and its paramilitary counterpart, the Rapid Support Forces.

The detailed report Sudan – Country Focus, on the period between the eruption of the war in April last year and January this year, issued by the EU Agency for Asylum on Sunday, cites Insecurity Insight, which reported 268 incidents of violence or threat of violence against healthcare workers in Sudan. Between April and January, 54 of them were killed, 63 injured, and 28 healthcare workers were kidnapped.