The war in Sudan was created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. PHOTO: AFP
A strike on a hospital in Sudan’s East Darfur state killed 64 people and wounded 89 others, including 13 children, the World Health Organization said Saturday.
The attack on El-Daein Teaching Hospital in the state capital occurred on Friday, damaging the pediatric, maternity, and emergency departments and leaving the facility non-functional. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for an end to the nearly three-year conflict.
“Enough blood has been spilled,” he said. “Health care should never be a target. Peace is the best medicine”.
Human toll and emergency response
Among the dead were two female nurses, one male doctor, and multiple patients. Eight health staff were reported among the wounded. The WHO is supporting local health partners to treat the injured and fill urgent gaps in medical services with essential supplies.
Read: Drone strikes in Sudan kill 33
Sudanese rights group Emergency Lawyers reported that the hospital was struck by a drone. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) control the Darfur region, while Sudan’s army holds the east, center, and north.
Ongoing attacks on health care
RSF-controlled El-Daein has been targeted repeatedly by the Sudanese army, including a market strike earlier this month. The Sudan Armed Forces said in a statement carried by SUNA that it adheres to international norms, accusing the RSF of regularly attacking service and health facilities.
The WHO’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA) tracks such incidents but does not assign blame. According to SSA data, Friday’s strike brings the total deaths in health-care attacks in Sudan to 2,036 across 213 incidents.
Read more: Landmine explosion in Sudan kills nine
“Beyond the devastating human toll, attacks on health care have immediate and long-term consequences for communities already in desperate need of medical services,” Tedros said.
Escalating drone warfare
Drone strikes have become a hallmark of the Sudan conflict, killing dozens at a time, mainly in southern Kordofan. UN rights chief Volker Turk said more than 200 civilians were killed by drone attacks over eight days this month.
The war, which began in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 11 million people. More than 33 million need humanitarian aid, according to the UN.
“Enough suffering has been inflicted,” Tedros said. “The time has come to de-escalate the conflict in Sudan and ensure the protection of civilians, health workers, and humanitarians”.
