The World Health Organization (WHO) has condemned what it described as “senseless” and devastating attacks that killed 114 people, including 63 children, in Sudan’s South Kordofan state last week.
The fatal strikes targeted a kindergarten and the Kalogi Rural Hospital, according to officials and the UN health agency.
Local administrator Essam al-Din al-Sayed, head of the Kalogi unit, told AFP that the assault involved a paramilitary drone which first struck a kindergarten, then a hospital, and later hit again as civilians rushed to rescue injured children.
Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when clashes erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The war has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and forced nearly 12 million people from their homes.
Following their takeover of El-Fasher in late October — the army’s final major stronghold in western Sudan — the RSF has continued pushing east into the oil-rich Kordofan region.
WHO Confirms 114 Deaths, 35 Injured
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Thursday attacks struck a kindergarten and hit the nearby hospital at least three times.
“The strikes killed 114 people, including 63 children, and injured 35 others,” he wrote on X, citing the WHO’s Attacks on Health Care monitoring system.
Survivors were transferred to Abu Jebaiha Hospital, where urgent calls have been made for blood donations and additional medical supplies. Tedros added that paramedics were also attacked while trying to evacuate victims from the scene.
“WHO deplores these senseless attacks on civilians and health facilities, and calls again for an end to the violence… Sudanese have suffered far too much. Ceasefire now!” he said.
As a monitoring agency, WHO logs and verifies attacks on health care facilities but does not assign responsibility.
Growing Toll on Sudan’s Health Sector
According to WHO records, the attack occurred between 6:00 a.m. and noon and involved heavy weapons, obstruction of medical response, and psychological intimidation.
So far in 2025, the WHO has documented 63 attacks on health care in Sudan, resulting in 1,611 deaths and 259 injuries. Of these,
52 affected health personnel, 45 targeted facilities, and 32 involved patients.
UN Secretary-General Reacts
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep shock at the reports.
His spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said Guterres urged all states with influence over the warring parties to act immediately to halt the fighting and stop the flow of weapons fueling the conflict.
