A devastating attack on Al-Mujlad Hospital in Sudan has left more than 40 people dead, including children and healthcare workers, deepening the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the country. The hospital, located in the town of Muglad in West Kordofan state, was struck on Saturday during fierce clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as Sudan’s brutal civil war enters its third year.
The hospital was the only functioning healthcare facility in the region and played a vital role in providing medical services, particularly for civilians. Among its specialized services was a dialysis unit, which had become a lifeline for patients with kidney failure. The loss of the facility now leaves thousands in the surrounding area without access to critical healthcare.
According to health and civil society groups, the SAF is being blamed for the attack, which they claim was aimed at targeting RSF fighters allegedly stationed inside the hospital. The RSF has echoed this accusation, though neither side has provided concrete evidence. The SAF has not issued a statement on the matter. The situation underscores the impunity with which both sides have acted throughout the conflict, frequently disregarding the protection of civilian infrastructure.
Among the casualties were at least six children and five medical workers, with dozens more injured. The loss of medics further exacerbates the strain on Sudan’s collapsing healthcare system, which has already been devastated by years of war, economic instability, and targeted assaults on medical facilities.
Since the outbreak of war in April 2023, Sudan has plunged into a humanitarian disaster that has displaced millions and killed tens of thousands. Civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and markets, has become a frequent target. Human rights organizations and monitoring groups have repeatedly documented atrocities, including mass killings, the use of starvation as a weapon, and systemic sexual violence.
The situation for children is particularly dire. Many have been forced from their homes, are unable to attend school, and suffer from acute malnutrition. In camps for displaced persons and among refugees in neighboring countries such as Chad, children face exploitation, disease, and psychological trauma. Reports of sexual abuse, including of very young children, have surfaced, painting a grim picture of the toll this war is taking on the most vulnerable.
As international aid efforts remain critically underfunded, humanitarian organizations are struggling to meet even basic needs. The recent hospital bombing has drawn renewed attention to the scale of the crisis, as calls mount for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the protection of civilians and medical institutions.
