A devastating strike on a major hospital in Sudan’s East Darfur state has killed at least 64 people, including patients and medical staff, and rendered the facility completely non-functional, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed Saturday.
Catastrophic Impact on Critical Services
The attack on Al Deain Teaching Hospital in the state capital on Friday night resulted in one of the single deadliest incidents against healthcare in Sudan’s nearly three-year war. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that among the dead were multiple patients, two female nurses, and one male doctor. A further 89 people were wounded, including eight health staff members.
The assault severely damaged the hospital’s paediatric, maternity, and emergency departments, cutting off essential medical services for the entire city.
A Grim Milestone in the Conflict
“As a result of this tragedy, the total number of fatalities linked to attacks on health facilities during Sudan’s war has now surpassed 2,000,” Tedros announced. The WHO has now confirmed 2,036 people killed in 213 separate attacks on healthcare since the conflict began in April 2023.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the hospital strike. The war pits the Sudanese army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a conflict that has created one of the world’s fastest-growing humanitarian crises.
Widespread Atrocities and a Plea for Peace
The violence has forced more than 12 million people from their homes. Both sides have been accused of war crimes, with UN experts stating that RSF atrocities in the Darfur region bear the hallmarks of genocide.
“Enough blood has been spilled. Enough suffering has been inflicted,” Tedros said in his social media post. “The time has come to de-escalate the conflict in Sudan and ensure the protection of civilians, health workers, and humanitarians.”
