Khartoum, 28 November 2021 - On November 19, armed men broke into the office of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Ed Dain, East Darfur State at around 3 AM in the night, threatened and ill-treated the guards and stole a Toyota Land Cruiser with MSF identification.
This armed incursion occurred two weeks after a violent carjacking on an MSF convoy traveling from El Daen to Kario to assist isolated communities. An MSF land cruiser was stolen, and staff threatened with guns and beaten. As a result of this violent incident, the entire team was evacuated from Kario camp and MSF reduced its activities.
"This is unacceptable – we condemn all forms of violence against medical humanitarian missions, our patients and staff," said Ann Mumina, MSF Head of Mission and Country Representative in Sudan. "We are alarmed at the rapid deterioration of the security in the state and the blatant disregard for humanitarian actors. We demand the government and entities involved to provide the necessary safety guarantees for our staff to be able to carry out our medical humanitarian mission. Our offices and cars are clearly marked with MSF logos. 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 has engaged with Sudanese authorities at all levels, including the Ministry of Health, the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), and other security authorities, to express its concern and to follow up on this situation.
MSF runs a primary health care center (PHCC) in Kario refugee camp that provides outpatient consultations, inpatient pediatrics and therapeutic feeding center (ITFC) for severe malnutrition; as well as sexual reproductive health services, with particular focus on maternity ward and consultations for pregnant women. The PHCC serves both host population of the surrounding villages as well as the South Sudanese refugees living in the camp. In the surrounding villages of Kario, MSF also runs integrated community case management (ICCM) which covers treatment of simple malaria, diarrhea and screening for malnutrition at the community level.
MSF has been present in Kario, East Darfur State since 2017.