70 killed in attack on hospital in Darfur, Sudan, drone attack on people undergoing treatment

Khartoum: At least 70 people have died in a drone attack on a hospital in Sudan's Darfur region. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) gave this information on Sunday. This attack took place on the only well-running hospital in the city of Al Fasher. The rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been accused of this attack on the hospital. In recent times, the RSF has suffered heavy losses in the war at the hands of the Sudanese army and forces led by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan. Things are getting worse in recent days due to the civil war in Sudan. Despite international mediation efforts and pressure tactics and sanctions targeting General Burhan, the fighting has not stopped.

Giving information about the attack on the Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital in Al Fasher, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote in a post on social media, '19 people, including patients and their companions, were injured and 70 died in the horrific attack on the Saudi hospital in Al Fasher, Sudan. The hospital was full of patients undergoing treatment at the time of the attack.' He said that a health facility in Al Malha was also attacked on Saturday. We call on Sudan to stop all attacks on healthcare and allow access for the speedy restoration of damaged facilities. The people of Sudan need peace, which is the best medicine.

RSF accused of attack

Ghebreyesus did not say who carried out the attack. Local officials have accused the RSF of the attack. Clementine Nkweta-Salami, a UN official active in Sudan, said on Thursday that the RSF had given forces affiliated with the Sudanese Armed Forces a 48-hour ultimatum to vacate the city and threatened an attack. Al Fasher has been under siege by the RSF since May 2024. Civilians in Al Fasher continue to face violence and gross human rights violations.

The RSF has not yet claimed responsibility for the attack in Al Fasher. Al Fasher is 800 kilometers (500 miles) southwest of Khartoum. The city is home to 1 million people. However, many people have been displaced due to this war. Sudan has been facing instability since a popular uprising in 2019 to oust a longtime dictator.