The World Health Organization (WHO) has condemned the killing of 114 people — including 63 children — following deadly strikes on a kindergarten and a nearby hospital in South Kordofan, Sudan.
The tragic incident occurred last Thursday in the town of Kalogi, where multiple drone attacks struck civilian areas during ongoing clashes between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to local officials, the attacks hit a kindergarten first, then targeted the Kalogi Rural Hospital, and struck again as residents attempted to rescue injured children.
Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, with fighting between the army and the RSF claiming tens of thousands of lives and displacing nearly 12 million people. Recent RSF advances in the Kordofan region have further intensified the violence.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday that the strikes — which occurred between 6:00 am and noon — were “senseless attacks on civilians and health facilities.” He confirmed that at least 35 people were also injured. Survivors were taken to Abu Jebaiha Hospital for treatment, with urgent calls issued for blood donations and medical supplies.
Tedros added that even paramedics and responders came under fire as they attempted to evacuate victims from the kindergarten to the hospital.
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He reiterated WHO’s call for an immediate end to the violence, stressing that Sudanese civilians have “suffered far too much.”
The WHO has documented 63 attacks on health care facilities across Sudan so far this year, resulting in more than 1,600 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The agency tracks and verifies such attacks but does not assign blame to specific groups.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Secretary-General expressed deep shock over the reports and urged world powers with influence over the warring parties to demand an immediate ceasefire and halt the flow of weapons fuelling the conflict.
