Sudan’s military has been accused of bombing a hospital in North Kordofan, destroying the medical facility and injuring civilians amid an intensifying campaign of aerial attacks across the country.
Emergency Lawyers, a Sudanese rights organisation monitoring violations during the conflict, said an Antonov aircraft belonging to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) allegedly struck Um Badr Hospital at approximately 1 a.m. on Monday, October 19.
The organisation said the bombardment caused extensive destruction and wounded an unspecified number of civilians.
According to a statement reported by Radio Dabanga on Tuesday, the attack occurred amid allegations that the hospital was being used to treat wounded Rapid Support Forces (RSF) personnel.
Emergency Lawyers disputed those claims, saying the facility had already ceased operating because of the prolonged siege and military operations affecting the area.
The group maintained that there were no military activities or armed positions inside the hospital or in its immediate surroundings.
The Sudanese military’s responsibility for the reported strike and the full extent of the destruction could not be independently verified.
The allegations raise further concerns over the protection of medical infrastructure during Sudan’s continuing conflict.
Under international humanitarian law, hospitals and other medical facilities are afforded special protection. Treating wounded combatants does not, by itself, justify attacking a hospital.
Emergency Lawyers condemned the escalating attacks on civilian infrastructure by the warring parties and demanded independent investigations and accountability for those responsible.
The latest allegations emerge during an especially deadly period of aerial warfare across Sudan.
Recent attacks in Darfur, Kordofan and the disputed Abyei region have killed large numbers of civilians, according to local officials, medical personnel and humanitarian organisations.
The World Health Organization reported on October 12 that it had verified 228 attacks on healthcare facilities and services since Sudan’s war began in April 2023, resulting in 2,055 deaths and 817 injuries.
The alleged destruction of Um Badr Hospital threatens to deepen the healthcare crisis in North Kordofan, where prolonged fighting has already severely restricted access to essential medical services.
