Sudan: Massacre at a hospital in Darfur

Vatican News  

Often far from the international spotlight, war that has been tearing apart Sudan for nearly three years continues unabated, marked by escalating violence and growing suffering among civilians.

At least 64 people, including 13 children, were killed in an attack on the university hospital in El-Daein, the capital of East Darfur in western Sudan

. According to the World Health Organization, which reported the incident, humanitarian sources expressed being “horrified” by what had taken place in the already devastated region.

Nearly 90 people were wounded, many of them in critical condition, further straining an already fragile healthcare system in the conflict zone.

The atrocities of war

The Sudanese human rights organization Emergency Lawyers reported that the attack was allegedly carried out by a drone launched by the Sudanese army, although the military has denied responsibility.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a violent civil war between the national army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group opposing the government.

The conflict has resulted in at least 150,000 deaths and has displaced more than 12 million people, making it one of the most severe humanitarian crises of this century.

Civilians continue to bear the violence, as attacks increasingly target non-military sites, including hospitals and residential areas.

A fragmented country

The conflict has effectively divided the country, with the RSF controlling much of western Sudan, including Darfur, while the army retains control of major urban centers.

In recent weeks, El-Daein has been repeatedly targeted as government forces attempt to contain RSF expansion.

The war has become increasingly fragmented, with intensified fighting reported in regions such as Kordofan and Darfur.

The use of drones and aerial bombardments by both sides has marked a dangerous escalation, exposing civilians to greater risk.

According to recent reports, more than 90 civilians were killed in airstrikes in the Kordofan region between late January and early February 2026.

On February 7, a drone strike attributed to the RSF in North Kordofan killed at least 24 people, including eight children.

Deepening humanitarian crisis

The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, particularly in areas such as the city of El-Fasher, which has been besieged by RSF forces and has become a symbol of the worsening crisis.

Attacks on residential areas, infrastructure, and humanitarian convoys have severely limited the delivery of aid.

On February 6, an attack on a convoy of the World Food Programme destroyed food supplies intended for thousands of people already facing starvation.

The overlap between ongoing violence and political instability has made efforts toward a negotiated solution increasingly difficult.

Rising hunger and suffering

According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report, food security conditions are rapidly deteriorating across Sudan.

Famine thresholds for acute malnutrition have been exceeded in parts of North Darfur, particularly in Um Baru and Kernoi, where there is a high risk of excess mortality.

Tens of millions of people, including women and children, are now suffering from severe hunger and malnutrition.

As the conflict continues with no clear resolution in sight, Sudan faces an increasingly dire humanitarian emergency, where violence, displacement, and hunger converge to threaten the lives of millions.