A drone strike targeting a secondary school and a medical center in Sudan’s White Nile province on Wednesday killed at least 17 people, the majority of whom were schoolgirls, according to hospital officials and a medical group.
Dr. Musa al-Majeri, director of the Douiem Hospital, the closest major medical facility to the village of Shukeiri where the strike occurred, reported that at least 10 individuals were wounded. He stated that three girls sustained critical injuries, with two undergoing surgery at the hospital and the third evacuated to Khartoum for further treatment.
The Sudan Doctors Network initially reported the attack, identifying two teachers and a healthcare worker among the fatalities. The group emphasized the absence of any military presence within the village.
Both Dr. Al-Majeri and the Sudan Doctors Network attributed responsibility for the strike to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF has not yet issued a response to requests for comment.
“This horrific crime represents a continuation of the violations committed by the RSF in the White Nile,” said Dr. Razan Al-Mahdi, a spokesperson for the Sudan Doctors Network. She added that the paramilitaries had attacked several civilian facilities in the preceding two days, including a student dormitory and a power station.
The attack is the latest in a series of deadly incidents stemming from the conflict that erupted in Sudan in April 2023, a power struggle between the Sudanese military and the RSF. The fighting began in Khartoum and has since spread across the country.
The United Nations estimates that more than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict, though aid organizations suggest this figure is a significant undercount. The majority of recent fighting and drone attacks have been concentrated in the Kordofan region.
The war has been characterized by widespread atrocities, including mass killings and sexual violence, prompting investigations by the International Criminal Court into potential war crimes and crimes against humanity. In October, RSF forces and allied Janjweed militias overran el-Fasher in Darfur, with UN-commissioned experts describing the attack as bearing “hallmarks of genocide.” The UN Human Rights Office reported at least 6,000 deaths in el-Fasher over a three-day period in October.
