Death toll hits 40 following deadly bomb blast at Sudan’s Hospital

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has confirmed that more than 40 people, including children and health workers, were killed during a devastating weekend attack on Al Mujlad Hospital in Sudan’s West Kordofan region.

The tragic incident took place on Saturday, June 22, near the front lines of intense fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that has been locked in a bloody civil conflict with the army since April 2023.

In a statement released Tuesday, Dr. Tedros condemned the attack, calling for an immediate end to strikes on health infrastructure.

“Hospitals and healthcare workers must never be targets,” he stressed.

The WHO Sudan office also confirmed the destruction, reporting that at least six children and five medical staff were among those killed.

The facility, which served as a lifeline to local residents, suffered extensive damage and is now completely non-operational.

The human rights group Emergency Lawyers alleged that an army drone carried out the strike.

However, in a conflicting report issued on Sunday, the group listed a lower death toll of nine.

Confusion over the exact number of casualties remains due to the chaotic nature of the war-torn region and difficulties in accessing the site.

Al Mujlad Hospital, located in West Kordofan, is strategically positioned near the active conflict zone and had been serving both civilians and war-wounded fighters.

The destruction of the facility marks one of the most violent incidents targeting health infrastructure in Sudan since the conflict began.

Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that attacks on health centers are exacerbating the already dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

Over 15 million people are estimated to need urgent medical assistance, and attacks like this further cripple the nation’s ability to deliver care.

As of now, no official party has claimed responsibility, and the Sudanese army has not publicly commented on the drone strike allegations.

International observers are calling for an independent investigation into the attack and renewed appeals for ceasefire talks, as violence continues to escalate across several Sudanese states.

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