MSF Demands Safety Guarantees After Office In Sudan Assaulted

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th November, 2021) Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has condemned a series of violent raids on its office and staff in Sudan's East Darfur, stressing that safety is instrumental to unhindered humanitarian work.

MSF said that its El Daein office was raided by a group of armed men on November 19 who threatened and beat up security and stole a Toyota Land Cruiser with MSF identification. Two weeks earlier, an MSF convoy was violently carjacked on its way from El Daein to the Kario camp, according to the statement. The organization said these assaults have caused it to suspend the camp and reduce its activities.

"This is unacceptable - we condemn all forms of violence against medical humanitarian missions, our patients and staff. We are alarmed at the rapid deterioration of security in the state and the blatant disregard for humanitarian actors. We demand the government and entities involved provide the necessary safety guarantees for our staff to be able to carry out our medical humanitarian mission," MSF Head of Mission and Country Representative in Sudan Ann Mumina said.

Stressing that all MSF premises and cars are clearly marked with the organization's logo, Mumina added that "safety and security are crucial for neutral and impartial humanitarian organisations like MSF to be able to carry out their work in support of Sudanese communities in dire need."

MSF is an independent international medical humanitarian organization providing emergency care to victims of conflict, starvation, pandemics, forced migration, and natural disasters. MSF has been running a healthcare center in Kario, East Darfur since 2017, providing people with nutrition and treatment, including against common diseases such as malaria, and consultations for pregnant women in a maternity ward.