A drone attack on a hospital killed 64 people in Sudan, according to the head of the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to WHO, a drone hit the hospital in el-Daein, located in East Darfur, on Eid. Amongst the 64 people killed, 13 children, two nurses and a doctor have passed away due to their injuries. Another 89 people were wounded at the el-Daein Teaching Hospital.
Following the attack on Friday, the hospital is still no longer able to work. The entire top floor has been destroyed by the strike, damaging vital equipment. Over thousands of citizens rely on the el-Daein Teaching Hospital for medical care.
The Rapid Support Forces, who have control over the East Darfur area, are claiming that the Sudanese government is responsible for the attack. In a statement, the Sudanese military denied the accusations, claiming that they adhered to “international norms and laws.”
An independent investigation is expected to be conducted.
“Enough blood has been spilled,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a tweet. “Enough suffering has been inflicted. The time has come to de-escalate the conflict in Sudan and ensure the protection of civilians, health workers and humanitarians. Health care should never be a target. Peace is the best medicine.”
WHO estimates that 2,036 Sudanese citizens were killed in 213 attacks on health care throughout the course of the three-year civil war. Over 720 people have been injured through these attacks on health care.
Since April 2023, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF have been involved in a power struggle to gain control of Sudan. The Sudanese Armed Forces are led by Gen. Abde Fattah Al-Burhan while the RSF is led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The two formerly staged a coup, ousting a military-civilian government from its position in 2021 following a coup that overthrew President Omar al-Bashir. Disagreements in rule and the deployment of RSF forces eventually resulted in a shooting between the two sides, beginning the civil war within the country.
As of now, the RSF controls most of Darfur and Kordofan. The Sudanese Armed Forces, meanwhile, control north of Khartoum and most of the east.
Since the beginning of the civil war, multiple atrocities have been documented, including accusations of ethnic cleansing and war crimes. Per the Center for Preventive Action, the RSF is linked to ethnic killings targeting the Masalit in West Darfur, perpetuating a genocide after a multi-day attack killed over 800 people.
Reports of sexual violence and kidnappings have also emerged, with women and young girls identified as victims. Meanwhile, food insecurity continues to rage on in the nation.
As of 2026, WHO estimates that 41% of the population, or 21.2 million Sudanese civilians, are faced with high levels of acute food insecurity. With more than 12 million residents displaced and multiple reports of disease outbreaks listed, this statistic is expected to increase.
As of now, no end to the infighting is in sight.
The civil war has, in turn, claimed the lives of more than 150,000 Sudanese citizens since 2023.
