Over 40 Killed in Sudan Hospital Attack, Including Children and Medics: WHO

The hospital said to be the only operating medical facility in the region, was hit near the front line of the current civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The attack was carried out by the SAF, who were allegedly aiming at RSF forces said to be holed up inside the hospital, the Sudan Doctors Network and Emergency Lawyers group said.

Sudanese Healthcare 'Under Siege'
The assault on Al-Mujlad Hospital reflects the larger humanitarian catastrophe that is taking place in Sudan. The three-year-old conflict has been widely condemned for what are said to include war crimes such as the systematic targeting of medical facilities and civilian populations.

Al-Mujlad Hospital had a dialysis unit and mostly treated civilians, the Emergency Lawyers said. Dozens of others were wounded in the strike, further straining already depleted medical infrastructure in the region. The RSF accused the SAF of being behind the attack but the army has not responded publicly.

Children Bearing the Brunt of the Crisis
The United Nations has called the civil war in Sudan the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Cathrine Russell, UNICEF, stressed that "children are paying a high price," in particular, those who have been displaced into neighbouring Chad. "Hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable children are acutely malnourished, out of school, and face a serious risk of exploitation and disease," she said.

Horrifying reports from Sudan, additionally, detail sexual violence against children, the youngest victim being just one year old. Some, scarred by the psychological trauma, have tried to commit suicide.

Demands for Accountability and Assistance
The international community, as well as U.N. agencies and human rights organizations, still demand accountability for attacks against civilians, and health workers. Meanwhile, aid groups are calling for urgent financial support, with UNICEF saying two-thirds of the funding needed for relief efforts is still lacking.

As the fighting intensifies, there are fears that additional medical facilities could be attacked, leaving millions of people in war-affected areas of Sudan without access to urgent health care.