The Seizure of Al-Tina by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces has added new pressure to a conflict that has already pushed the country toward one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. The development comes as the World Health Organization confirmed that attacks on healthcare facilities have killed 69 people since the start of the year.
The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, ongoing since April 2023, continues to spread across new fronts, including regions bordering Chad and the states of Darfur, Sennar and South Kordofan.
RSF claims control of strategic border town Al-Tina
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces said Saturday that its fighters had taken control of Al-Tina, a town on the border with Chad. The announcement was accompanied by video clips posted online showing RSF fighters celebrating under a banner that read District of Al-Tina.
The town had previously been under the control of the Joint Forces, which are allied to the Sudanese army. The army has not issued an immediate response to the RSF’s claim. However, Darfur’s pro-army governor Minni Minnawi condemned what he described as repeated criminal behaviour targeting civilians.
Why Al-Tina matters
Al-Tina lies on a key route linking Darfur communities to the Chadian border. Control of this area allows armed groups to secure supply lines and movement corridors. Since the RSF’s capture of El Fasher last October, the paramilitary group has expanded its operations westward. At the end of last year two Chadian soldiers were killed in cross-border incidents.
WHO reports deadly attacks on Sudan’s collapsing healthcare system
The World Health Organization warned Saturday that Sudan’s medical system continues to face violent targeting as the conflict nears its fourth year. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said five attacks on healthcare facilities in the first fifty days of 2026 killed 69 people and wounded 49.
Hospitals and health staff under fire
According to the WHO:
- A hospital in Sennar state was hit on Sunday killing three patients and injuring seven others including a staff member.
- Earlier attacks in South Kordofan killed more than 30 people when multiple medical centres were struck.
WHO has confirmed at least 206 attacks on healthcare facilities since the war began in April 2023. These incidents have killed around 2,000 people and injured several hundred.
Impact on healthcare access
More than one-third of Sudan’s medical facilities are no longer functioning due to fighting, displacement of staff and destruction of infrastructure. The collapse of the system has contributed to the spread of diseases such as cholera, malaria, dengue and measles.
Humanitarian crisis deepens
The United Nations continues to describe Sudan’s civil war as one of the worst humanitarian emergencies worldwide. Tens of thousands have been killed and more than 11 million displaced since the conflict began.
Malnutrition and aid shortages
The WHO warns that:
- 4.2 million cases of acute malnutrition are expected in 2026
- More than 800,000 of these are classified as severe
- 33 million people could be left without aid this year
The UN said in January that its remaining aid stocks could be depleted by March.
Conclusion:
The capture of Al-Tina and the rising attacks on healthcare facilities underline how the conflict in Sudan continues to widen geographically and deepen humanitarian suffering. International agencies warn that without a significant shift in the fighting, the crisis will escalate further across multiple regions.
