At least 70 people, including seven women and 13 children, were killed in a devastating attack on a hospital in Sudan’s East Darfur region, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The strike targeted El-Daein Teaching Hospital, leaving the facility severely damaged and no longer operational.

Health officials reported that the number of injured rose significantly, with over 140 people wounded in the attack. Among the casualties were also medical staff, including a doctor and nurses, highlighting the severe impact on an already fragile healthcare system.

The WHO condemned the strike as an “atrocious attack,” stressing that targeting healthcare facilities undermines access to life-saving treatment and worsens the humanitarian situation. Earlier violence had previously damaged the hospital, which served more than two million people in the region.

The attack comes amid Sudan’s ongoing civil war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has caused widespread devastation since 2023. Tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

With the hospital now out of service, patients must travel long distances for treatment, further limiting access to urgent care in a conflict-ravaged region.