WHO reports that 64 people were killed in a Sudanese drone attack on a major hospital during Eid.

 

The WHO says the hospital is no longer able to function, depriving thousands of people in the region of vital medical care (Image: WHO)

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), its rivals, have denied that the Sudanese army carried out the deadly attack on a major hospital on Friday night in a city in the west of the country. The strike on el-Daein Teaching Hospital left 64 people dead, including 13 children, two nurses, and a doctor, according to WHO head. Another 89 people were injured. "Enough blood has been spilled," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted on X, urging the warring parties to end the conflict, which started nearly three years ago.

 According to the RSF, an army drone struck the hospital in el-Daein, the state capital of East Darfur, on the day Muslims celebrated Eid.

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In April 2023, a bloody struggle for power between the military and the RSF, who had previously been allies after coming to power in a coup in 2021, sent Sudan into a civil war. More than 150,000 people have since died in the conflict and about 12 million have fled their homes - nearly a third of the country's population - in what the United Nations has called the world's largest humanitarian crisis.

The frequent targeting of medical facilities was condemned by Dr. Tedros, who stated that el-Daein Teaching Hospital was no longer able to function following the attack on Friday night. "Over the nearly three-year conflict, WHO has confirmed that 2,036 people have been killed in 213 attacks on health care, including Friday night's strike," the WHO chief said in his tweet.

 He stated, "The time has come to ensure the protection of civilians, health workers, and humanitarians" and "de-escalate the conflict in Sudan." "Health care should not be a target at any time. Peace is the best medicine."

 The RSF said in a statement that the strike had completely destroyed the top floor of the hospital, severely damaged the emergency room, and destroyed essential medical equipment. The military said in response that it was surprised by the claim that it was behind the attack and that it followed "international norms and laws." The Emergency Lawyers group has demanded that an impartial and open investigation be conducted and that those accountable be brought to justice. The hospital in el-Daein was a crucial health facility that thousands of civilians in the city and surrounding villages relied on, according to the local rights organization, which has documented atrocities committed by both the army and the RSF throughout the war.

There have been muted gatherings across Sudan this year to mark Eid and the end of the Muslim fasting month (Image: Getty Images)

East Darfur borders the Kordofan region, a new front line in the war where there are near-daily drone strikes.

 The area is a major corridor linking the western Darfur region, which is controlled by the RSF, to the capital, Khartoum, which was retaken by the army last year.

 Despite US-led peace efforts, there is no sign of an end to the fighting, which is now regarded as one of the most deadly conflicts in Africa for civilians. Across the country there were muted celebrations this year for Eid-al-Fitr, when Muslims around the world mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

Source: BBC