CAIRO (AP) — In a shocking report, the United Nations health chief revealed that over 1,600 individuals have lost their lives due to attacks on medical facilities and healthcare centers in war-torn Sudan since the beginning of the year. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), stated that the organization has documented 65 attacks on healthcare facilities since January, resulting in an additional 276 injuries.
The most recent incident occurred on Sunday, when a drone strike targeted a military hospital in Diling, the capital of South Kordofan province. This region has become a significant battleground as fighting persists between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Ghebreyesus confirmed that this attack resulted in the deaths of nine people and injured 17. He emphasized the critical situation, stating, "Every attack deprives more people from health services and medicines — needs that do not pause while facilities are rebuilt and services restored."
The Sudan Doctor’s Network, a collective of medical professionals monitoring the ongoing conflict, has attributed the drone strike on the military hospital in Diling to the RSF. The casualties in Diling contribute to a grim tally, as at least 104 individuals have been reported killed in various attacks throughout the Kordofan region since December 4, according to U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
Attacks on healthcare facilities have escalated, with notable incidents including an RSF offensive on the Saudi Hospital in el-Fasher, a city in Darfur, in October. The WHO reported that gunmen killed at least 460 individuals at this hospital and abducted several doctors and nurses. Such violence against medical infrastructure significantly hampers the availability of healthcare in an already desperate situation.
Sudan has been engulfed in chaos since April 2023, when a power struggle erupted into open conflict between the Sudanese military and the RSF, initially in the capital, Khartoum, before spreading throughout the nation. As of now, the war has claimed more than 40,000 lives, although aid organizations believe that this number may be considerably lower than the actual toll.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in what is being described as the world's largest humanitarian crisis. Over 14 million people have been displaced from their homes, and the country is grappling with widespread disease outbreaks and famine in numerous regions. The dire circumstances continue to affect the lives of countless Sudanese, making it imperative for the international community to take action.
