Gulf states condemn deadly drone strike on North Darfur hospital

January 26, 2025 (EL FASHER) – Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) condemned a drone strike on a hospital in Sudan’s North Darfur region that killed about 70 people, including patients and medical staff, the three Gulf states said on Sunday.

A Chinese-made Long Wing 2 drone, which the Sudanese army says was operated by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), struck the Saudi Hospital in El Fasher on Saturday, causing extensive damage to the facility, state media reported. The facility’s surgical and emergency wards were completely destroyed as the only operational hospital in the state capital.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry denounced the attack as a violation of international humanitarian law. In a statement, it called for the protection of health and humanitarian workers, restraint, and an end to targeting civilians. The ministry also urged adherence to the Jeddah Declaration, a pact aimed at protecting civilians in the conflict.

Qatar echoed the condemnation, with its foreign ministry calling the strike a “flagrant violation” of international law protecting medical facilities and staff and calling for urgent international action to safeguard civilian infrastructure.

The UAE’s Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, affirmed the UAE’s support for a peaceful resolution and an immediate ceasefire. He stressed the need to protect medical facilities and personnel, adding that they should not be targets in the conflict.

The Sudanese army has accused the UAE of supplying the RSF with advanced drones via Chad, alleging some are launched from within Chadian territory.