Over 40 people, including children and healthcare workers, were killed in a devastating attack on Al Mujlad Hospital in Sudan’s West Kordofan state, marking one of the deadliest assaults on medical facilities since the civil war began last year.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the strike, which took place over the weekend near ongoing clashes between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The attack has left the community reeling and the hospital in ruins.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned the violence, calling it “another appalling attack on health in Sudan.” He revealed that the strike claimed the lives of six children and five medical workers, with dozens more injured.
“We cannot say this louder: attacks on health must stop everywhere!” Dr. Tedros wrote on social media, using the hashtag #NotATarget.
The full scope of the tragedy became apparent as WHO Sudan reported extensive damage to the hospital itself. The organization urged that “attacks on healthcare must not be tolerated and must end immediately.”
Initial reports from Sudanese human rights groups had listed nine fatalities, but the toll rose sharply as rescuers uncovered more victims.
Local emergency lawyers accused the Sudanese Armed Forces of carrying out the strike with a drone, although neither side has claimed responsibility.
This attack fits into a grim pattern of assaults on medical facilities throughout the 14-month conflict.
UN humanitarian officials say over 80% of hospitals in war-torn zones such as Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan have either closed or barely function due to destruction, shortages, and fleeing staff.
West Kordofan has seen fierce fighting as both forces vie for control over critical supply routes.
Similar devastation occurred in February when an airstrike hit Kadugli in neighboring South Kordofan, killing numerous civilians.
International law strictly prohibits attacks on hospitals and schools, violations that may constitute war crimes. Yet, despite these protections, healthcare facilities continue to be targeted, worsening one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
More than 10 million Sudanese have been displaced, with nearly all those in conflict zones urgently needing aid. Medical supplies, food, and clean water are increasingly scarce as fighting blocks relief efforts.
“This is not just a tragedy, it’s a failure of humanity,” said an aid worker who requested anonymity. “When hospitals become battlegrounds, the most vulnerable pay the price: mothers in labor, sick children, the elderly.”
The international community has repeatedly called for ceasefires and safe humanitarian access, but with little success.
Civilians remain trapped, their basic rights to healthcare and safety disregarded amid ongoing combat.
For survivors of the Al Mujlad attack, the loss is immeasurable. With so many hospitals destroyed or incapacitated, even treatable conditions often turn fatal.
“First they took our homes. Now they’re taking our hospitals. What remains for us to lose?” one local resident lamented.
