Drone Strike on Sudan Hospital Kills 64, Wounds 89 in East Darfur Attack
A devastating drone strike targeted the emergency department of El-Daein teaching hospital in East Darfur on 20 March 2026, resulting in significant casualties. The World Health Organization confirmed on Saturday that the attack killed at least 64 individuals and wounded 89 more, with victims including children and medical personnel.
Confirmed Attack on Healthcare Facility
The WHO's surveillance system for attacks marked the incident as "confirmed", though it did not specify an exact location. According to their records, the assault involved "violence with heavy weapons" and severely impacted a secondary healthcare facility, affecting medical staff, patients, supplies, and storage areas. While the WHO verifies such attacks, it does not assign blame, as it is not an investigative body.
Attribution and Regional Context
Sudanese rights group the Emergency Lawyers, which documents atrocities in the ongoing conflict between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, reported that the strike was carried out by an army drone. El-Daein, the RSF-controlled state capital of East Darfur, has faced regular attacks from the army, which aims to push the paramilitary back toward its Darfur strongholds and away from Sudan's central corridor.
This recent attack follows a pattern of violence in the region, including a strike earlier this month on the city's market that ignited oil barrels, causing fires that burned for hours. The RSF dominates the vast western Darfur region, while the army controls Sudan's east, centre, and north.
Escalating Drone Warfare and Humanitarian Crisis
Near-daily drone strikes have become a hallmark of Sudan's brutal war, often killing dozens at a time, particularly in the southern Kordofan region. UN human rights chief Volker Türk expressed outrage this month after reports indicated more than 200 civilians were killed by drone attacks within an eight-day period. He noted that "parties to the conflict in Sudan continue to use increasingly powerful drones to deploy explosive weapons with wide-area impacts in populated areas."
Hospitals have been frequent targets throughout the conflict, drawing repeated condemnation from the UN. By December, attacks on health facilities had killed over 1,800 people since the war began, including 173 health workers. This year alone, 12 attacks on healthcare in Sudan have been recorded, resulting in 178 deaths and 237 injuries.
Broader Impact and Humanitarian Needs
The war has had catastrophic consequences across Sudan, killing tens of thousands and displacing more than 11 million people. It has exacerbated what the UN describes as the world's largest displacement and hunger crises, with over 33 million individuals in need of humanitarian assistance. The UN's humanitarian office in Sudan earlier stated it was "appalled by the attack on a hospital in East Darfur yesterday, reportedly killing dozens, including children, and injuring more."
This incident underscores the severe toll of the conflict on civilian infrastructure and highlights the urgent need for international attention and aid to address the growing humanitarian disaster in Sudan.
