Zain restores mobile and internet services in Darfur cities as shelling persists

Services of mobile and internet communications provider Zain were restored in the South Darfur capital on Saturday, after more than a month of interruption amid the ongoing hostilities between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia. Callers from Nyala confirmed to Radio Dabanga that connectivity has returned. The communications network has also been restored in the North Darfur capital El Fasher after a hiatus of more than three months.

The SAF and RSF continued to exchange artillery fire in Nyala on Saturday, as the army bombarded RSF positions in the vicinity of the Specialised Hospital. The RSF reportedly responded by shelling the base of the16th Infantry Division in Nyala.

Dr Ahmed Younis, coordination officer in the Nyala emergency room, told Radio Dabanga that all hospitals were out of service except for the Turkish hospital and a number of health centres, such as the Sheikh Musa Centre and the unit south of El Salam neighbourhood, which are run by volunteers from among medical college graduates.

He stressed that the Turkish hospital is the only one operating in the city, but lacks essentials such as gauze, anaesthetics, and oxygen. Dr Younis says that this prevents him from performing surgeries, and that cases that need surgical intervention are being transferred to Ed Daein and Wad Madani.