Sudan Health Lab Seized

The World Health Organization yesterday warned of a high risk of a biological hazard in Sudan's capital of Khartoum after a national health lab was seized by one of two parties fighting for control of the city. The lab, located outside of the Sudan military's headquarters and near the center of Khartoum, holds samples of a range of diseases, including measles, polio, and cholera. It's unclear which party has captured the facility.

At least 459 people have been killed and over 4,000 injured since fighting began 11 days ago in the North African country between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the opposing Rapid Support Forces (see overview). Thousands of Sudanese citizens have fled from the violence into neighboring nations, including roughly 20,000 to Chad. The UN refugee agency expects up to 270,000 people to flee to Chad and South Sudan—two of Sudan's seven neighbors.

Governments continued to evacuate foreign nationals as fighting carried on despite a 72-hour cease-fire brokered by the US and Saudi Arabia. See evacuation efforts here.