Khartoum: Medical group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced on Wednesday that it has withdrawn its staff from Zalingei Hospital in Central Darfur following a fatal shooting incident in which a health worker was killed and four others were injured outside the facility in western Sudan.

According to Anadolu Agency, MSF did not specify who was responsible for the shooting, although the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have controlled Zalingei since October 2023. The organization extended its condolences to the family of the stretcher-bearer employed by the Sudanese Health Ministry who lost his life in the November 18th incident outside the hospital.

Following the tragedy, MSF stated, "For the second time this year, we have been forced to withdraw staff from Zalingei hospital to ensure the safety of our teams." The group emphasized that its teams cannot resume humanitarian activities until safe conditions for staff and patients are assured by the RSF. Mariam Al-Aroussi, MSF's emergency coordinator in Darfur, condemned the impact of armed confrontations on medical facilities and humanitarian aid, labeling it as unacceptable.

MSF has been actively engaged with various authorities since November 18th, working to secure protection for Zalingei Hospital. Despite the withdrawal, the organization plans to continue supporting human resources and supplying medicines during this period. The recent attack follows a previous suspension of activities in August, when MSF paused operations at the hospital after a grenade explosion resulted in one death and five injuries.

The ongoing violence in the region has significantly disrupted access to healthcare, affecting hundreds of individuals in need. MSF has been actively responding to a measles outbreak in the area, receiving 850 measles patients between April and November 20, 2025, 36% of whom were also suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

Currently, the RSF controls all five Darfur states out of Sudan's 18 states, while the army holds most of the remaining 13 states, including Khartoum. Darfur constitutes about one-fifth of Sudan's territory, though the majority of the country's 50 million population resides in army-held areas. The conflict between the army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has resulted in at least 40,000 deaths and the displacement of 12 million people, as reported by the World Health Organization.