CAIRO (AP) In a devastating incident on Thursday, Sudan's paramilitary forces, known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), executed drone strikes on Al-Jabalain Hospital located in White Nile province, resulting in at least 10 fatalities, including seven medical staff members. The strikes also injured at least 19 other individuals, prompting their transfer to a facility in Kosti, approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) away, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
These attacks are part of a broader pattern of drone warfare escalating between the Sudanese army and the RSF, particularly since the onset of hostilities in April 2023. The health care system in Sudan has been severely impacted during this ongoing conflict, which has seen over 200 documented attacks on health facilities since its eruption. Recently, 70 people were killed in a separate airstrike on a hospital in Sudan’s western Darfur region, underscoring the perilous situation for civilians and healthcare workers alike.
The nearly three-year-long conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 40,000 people, according to United Nations estimates, although humanitarian organizations suggest that the real toll may be significantly higher. MSF condemned the recent strike on Al-Jabalain Hospital, labeling it even more horrific as it coincided with a children's immunization campaign, further destabilizing an already fragile healthcare system.
In addition to the attack on the hospital, a local rights organization, Emergency Lawyers, reported that a medical supply depot in Rabak, the capital of the White Nile province, was also targeted. This pattern of violence has not only resulted in loss of life but has also contributed to the displacement of civilians across numerous provinces, including South Kordofan, Blue Nile, and Darfur.
On Friday, Khalid Aleisir, the Sudanese minister of culture, information, antiquities, and tourism, condemned the drone strikes, calling for the RSF to be designated as a terrorist organization and for accountability for its members. He further blamed regional backers for their role in perpetuating violence through military support, including advanced weaponry and unmanned aerial systems that have exacerbated the conflict and targeted innocent civilians.
The Sudan Doctors Network, a local organization monitoring the violence, described the recent attacks as a "deliberate assault on health facilities and unarmed civilians." They emphasized that such actions only worsen the already declining health sector in Sudan. MSF's Sudan head of emergencies, Esperanza Santos, expressed outrage over the recent escalation of attacks on healthcare facilities, asserting that medical staff, patients, and health facilities must always be safeguarded. She called for an immediate cessation of violence by both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against medical institutions.
The surge in drone strikes has heavily impacted civilians and has obstructed critical aid operations in regions like Kordofan, leading analysts and humanitarian workers to raise alarms about the worsening situation. The continuing violence poses significant challenges to humanitarian efforts and threatens the already vulnerable lives of individuals in conflict-affected areas.
