The spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday said the UN condemns last Friday’s attack on Al Daein Teaching Hospital in Sudan’s East Darfur State.
Stephane Dujarric, who was briefing the press in New York, said the World Health Organization (WHO) verified that at least 64 people, including children, patients, and medical staff, were killed in the attack, with dozens more injured.
“The hospital is now out of service, cutting off huge numbers of people across the area from critical healthcare,” he stated. “In a social media post, Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said this new attack was part of a pattern. He reminded the belligerents that medical care is protected under international humanitarian law; he added that, sadly, as we have seen, this is routinely being ignored.”
Since the conflict began nearly three years ago, the WHO says more than 2,000 people have been killed in over 200 verified attacks on healthcare facilities.
“This attack comes amid escalating drone strikes across the Kordofan and Darfur regions that continue to kill civilians,” Dujarrric said. “You will recall last week that our colleagues at the Human Rights office reported that in just 7 days, 200 civilians were killed in Kordofan and White Nile. Recent incidents include deadly strikes on markets and other infrastructure, highlighting the ever-growing risks to civilians in this conflict.”
“We call for an immediate end to attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, respect for international humanitarian law, the protection of healthcare and humanitarian personnel, a cessation of hostilities, and rapid, safe, and unhindered access for humanitarian goods and workers,” he added.