Drone strike on Sudan Hospital kills 10, Hits Maternity ward

At least 10 people, including medical staff, were killed and more than 20 others injured in a drone strike on a hospital in central Sudan, according to health authorities and humanitarian organisations.

The attack took place on Thursday at Al-Jabalain Hospital in White Nile State. Two different strikes reportedly hit an operating theatre and a maternity ward, severely damaging the facility.

The Sudanese Ministry of Health said the strike was carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Among those killed was the hospital’s director, Dr. Hamid Suleiman, who died while performing surgery.

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) confirmed the incident, describing it as an attack on civilians and healthcare workers. The organisation said at least seven dead were medical personnel, some of whom had previously worked with MSF.

“This unacceptable attack occurred during a children’s immunisation campaign,” said an MSF official, expressing concern over the continued targeting of healthcare facilities.

In a separate incident the same day, a medical supply depot in Rabak, the state capital, was also hit, further disrupting already fragile health services.

Sudanese authorities strongly condemned the attack, calling it a serious violation of international humanitarian law. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the hospital was the only major healthcare facility serving the local population.

The strike comes amid the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, which began in April 2023. The war has led to tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 200 attacks on healthcare facilities have been recorded since the conflict began. Rights groups warn that repeated assaults on medical infrastructure are worsening the humanitarian crisis.

Officials and rights organisations have called for accountability, with some government representatives urging international action against those responsible.