A heartbreaking tragedy has unfolded in South Kordofan, where more than 100 people, including dozens of young children, were killed in a series of brutal attacks targeting a kindergarten and a nearby hospital. The World Health Organization confirmed the incident on Monday, highlighting yet another devastating chapter in Sudan’s ongoing civil war.
A Kindergarten Turned Battlefield
The attacks began on December 4, striking a kindergarten filled with children and caregivers. According to WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the assaults continued even as terrified parents and medical responders rushed to evacuate the wounded.
What should have been a place of safety instantly transformed into a scene of chaos and devastation. Most of the children who lost their lives died in the very first strike, with many others injured in the frantic minutes that followed.
Attacks Continue at the Hospital
As survivors were carried to a nearby rural hospital, the violence escalated. Paramedics, parents, and other responders came under fire while trying to move the injured. The WHO spokesperson said the death toll includes casualties from the kindergarten, the transfer route, and the hospital itself.
In total, 114 people were killed, including at least 63 children, and 35 were wounded. The use of heavy weapons was documented in the WHO’s attack monitoring database.
Government Condemnation and Rising Tensions
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks, saying they were carried out by the Rapid Support Forces using drones. The RSF did not immediately respond to requests for comment, though it has previously denied targeting civilians and insists it holds its fighters accountable for violations.
These attacks come amid a civil war that has raged for more than two and a half years, repeatedly pushing health facilities to the brink and turning civilian spaces into active war zones.
A Community in Mourning
The massacre follows earlier incidents, including a major attack in al Fashir in October, underscoring the deteriorating security conditions in the region. With hospitals under pressure and vital infrastructure destroyed, communities are struggling to cope.
WHO officials confirmed that survivors from the December 4 attacks have since been moved to safer facilities. Tedros made an urgent plea for medical support and blood donations, stressing the critical need for humanitarian assistance.
A Crisis Demanding Global Attention
The attack on the South Kordofan kindergarten and hospital is one of the deadliest incidents in Sudan’s recent conflict and highlights the alarming disregard for civilian life. As the world reacts to the shocking loss of young children and their caregivers, calls for stronger international intervention are growing.
For families who lost loved ones, the scars will last a lifetime. And for Sudan, the tragedy is a painful reminder of the harsh reality of a war that continues to consume schools, hospitals, and entire communities.