Death toll in Sudan hospital strike rises to 70, WHO says

United Nations officials said on Tuesday that the death toll from a drone strike on a Sudanese hospital had risen to 70, including women, children, and medics, as more bodies were recovered from the rubble.

Al Deain Teaching Hospital in East Darfur was struck on March 20, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, without attributing blame. The agency said the attack put the facility, which served more than 2 million people, out of operation.

After search and rescue efforts, six more bodies were found. This brought the total to 70, the WHO Deputy Representative to Sudan, Dr Hala Khudari, told a briefing in Geneva. The number of those injured has risen to 146.

A UN human rights office spokesperson said the attack involved drones in an area controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been at war with Sudan’s army since April 2023.

The UN said it did not have enough evidence to assign responsibility, but noted both sides have used drones in attacks on civilian sites that could amount to war crimes.

Drones are being used more frequently in the conflict, with more than 500 civilians killed in such strikes since the start of the year, mostly in the Kordofan region, the UN said.