WHO says Sudan hospital strike kills at least 64, injures 89.

The World Health Organization said on Saturday that an attack on a medical centre in Sudan killed 64 individuals and injured 89 others.

Earlier, the United Nations humanitarian agency in Sudan expressed that it was “appalled by the assault on a hospital in East Darfur yesterday, reportedly killing dozens, among them children, and wounding many more.”

The Sudanese rights organisation Emergency Lawyers, which records violations in the conflict between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, said the strike was carried out by an army drone that struck the El‑Daein teaching hospital.

The RSF controls the extensive western Darfur area, whereas the army holds sway over Sudan’s eastern, central and northern zones.

The WHO’s attack‑monitoring system classified Friday’s event as “confirmed,” though it omitted a precise location.

According to the record, the assault involved “violence with heavy weapons” and impacted a secondary health‑care facility, its staff, patients, as well as supplies and storage.

While the WHO tallies and verifies assaults on health services, it refrains from assigning responsibility, as it is not an investigative body.

El‑Daein, the RSF‑held state capital of East Darfur, has faced frequent army attacks as the military seeks to drive the paramilitary toward its Darfur bases and away from Sudan’s central corridor.

The latest strike on the city’s market earlier this month ignited oil barrels that smoldered for hours.

Almost daily drone attacks have become a hallmark of Sudan’s savage conflict, killing dozens at a time, chiefly in the southern Kordofan area.

UN human‑rights chief Volker Türk said this month he was “appalled” after reports indicated that over 200 civilians died in drone strikes over an eight‑day span.

He added, “The warring parties in Sudan keep employing ever more powerful drones to launch explosive weapons that affect wide areas in populated zones.”

Despite repeated UN condemnations, hospitals have remained regular targets throughout the conflict.

By December, the UN reported that attacks on health facilities had killed over 1,800 people since the war began, including 173 health workers.

In 2024, twelve attacks on health care in Sudan have been logged, resulting in 178 deaths and 237 injuries.

Nationwide, the conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 11 million people.

It has intensified what the UN calls the world’s largest displacement and hunger crises, leaving over 33 million people in need of aid.