At least 4,882 people killed in Sudan's Khartoum State since outbreak of conflict: health authorities

KHARTOUM, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 4,882 people have been killed in Sudan's Khartoum State since the outbreak of the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on April 15, 2023, the state's health authorities said on Friday.

"As of today, the number of people who died in hospitals from war-related injuries has reached 1,628, with an additional 3,254 bodies brought to hospitals," said Mohamed Ibrahim, spokesman for the state's health authority.

These figures, the first official statistics since the war began in Sudan, also report 32,167 injuries treated in hospitals.

The spokesman noted that the statistics include only those recorded at operational hospitals and medical facilities in both public and private sectors since the outbreak of the conflict.

He added that 23,011 surgeries have been performed to remove bullets and shrapnel from war-wounded patients.

Most injuries involved children and women due to "deliberate artillery shelling" by the RSF on residential neighborhoods and operational health facilities, Ibrahim said.

He added that 24 cadres from the state's health authorities were killed inside hospitals while providing medical services, and 17 others were taken prisoner from within health facilities.

Khartoum State is one of Sudan's 18 states. Although it is the smallest by area, it is the most populous, encompassing major cities such as Khartoum, North Khartoum, and Omdurman.

Accurate statistics on the war's victims in Sudan remain unavailable, with conflicting death tolls reported by local and international bodies.

On May 19, the Sudanese Doctors Syndicate estimated over 30,000 deaths and more than 70,000 injuries since the conflict began, noting the actual toll could be even higher.

On June 25, the New York-based International Rescue Committee reported that "conservative estimates" suggest at least 15,500 people have already died from the conflict, while some estimates are as high as 150,000, and counting.

However, according to a situation report issued by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project on Oct. 14, the deadly conflict has resulted in more than 24,850 deaths.