Drone strike hits school and health centre in southern Sudan, killing 17

An explosive-laden drone struck a secondary school and a health care centre in southern Sudan on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people, most of them schoolgirls, according to a hospital official and a medical group.

Dr. Musa al-Majeri, director of Douiem Hospital, said the attack occurred in a village served by the facility, which is the nearest major hospital in the area. He said at least 10 other people were wounded and were being treated after the strike.

The drone strike has been blamed on Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which have been fighting the Sudanese military since civil war erupted in April 2023. The paramilitary group has not immediately responded publicly to the allegation.

The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has repeatedly struck civilian areas, including homes, markets and public services such as schools and hospitals, according to humanitarian organizations.