Rhino: Agencies – At least 39 people, including 9 children, were killed and 78 others, including 6 women, were injured in a bombing that targeted Al-Da’ein Hospital in East Darfur state on Friday evening, according to preliminary reports, while local sources reported that an unknown number of people remain trapped under the rubble. Medical sources at the hospital confirmed that most of the victims were in the pediatric and women’s wards while receiving treatment.
According to available information, the bombing struck the pediatric, women’s, and maternity wards inside the hospital, a civilian facility providing vital services to the population, resulting in a large number of casualties among patients and their companions.
Medical sources and eyewitnesses reported that the bombing was carried out by a drone belonging to the Sudanese army, amid an escalation of military operations in recent days, reflecting a rapid deterioration in both the security and humanitarian situations in the region.
Sudanese political figures strongly condemned the incident, describing it as a “crime against civilians,” and demanded an urgent investigation and accountability for those responsible. They also called for immediate international action to stop the war and protect civilians from repeated violations against them, particularly in the conflict zones of Darfur and Kordofan.
Statements issued by political and civil society groups emphasized that targeting health facilities constitutes a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” which mandates the protection of medical facilities and their staff and prohibits endangering patients and civilians.
This attack comes amid an already deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Darfur region, where the population suffers from a severe shortage of health and relief services. There are fears that the targeting of hospitals will deprive thousands of civilians of basic medical care.
Sudanese human rights organizations and activists have called for ensuring the protection of health facilities and preventing their targeting, opening safe corridors to evacuate the wounded, and enabling relief teams to reach those affected. They have also demanded independent and transparent investigations into the incident.
The bombing of Al-Dain Hospital represents a dangerous escalation in the conflict and brings concerns about the safety of civilians in war zones back to the forefront. As search operations continue amid the rubble, there remains an urgent need for immediate action to put an end to the targeting of innocent people and ensure respect for the rules of international humanitarian law.
