Hengaw warns military deployment at Sanandaj’s Kowsar Hospital puts patients and staff at risk

Hengaw – Saturday, March 7, 2026

Following the outbreak of war between the United States, Israel, and Iran and the bombing of Iranian military and security facilities by fighter jets from the two countries, forces affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have been deployed in the upper floors of Kawsar Hospital in Sanandaj (Sine), one of the largest and most vital medical centers in Kurdistan. This action has placed the lives of hundreds of patients and healthcare workers at serious risk, effectively using the facility as a human shield.

According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, in recent days forces affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps entered Kawsar Hospital in Sanandaj and began militarizing the medical facility.

An informed source told Hengaw that military forces evacuated the hospital’s seventh floor—the uppermost level—and subsequently stationed their personnel on the fifth and sixth floors.

The source added that this action has taken place while at least 200 doctors and nurses, along with hundreds of patients, are present daily in these floors and adjacent wards, continuing to provide and receive medical treatment.

Hengaw warns that turning a medical facility into a military position constitutes a clear violation of international law and the Geneva Conventions. The deployment of armed forces inside the hospital effectively transforms the facility into a potential military target, significantly increasing the risk of mass civilian casualties, including patients and medical personnel, as well as the destruction of critical regional healthcare resources such as medical professionals, specialists, and essential medical equipment.

The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights once again calls on international bodies to issue a firm warning to all parties involved in the conflict regarding their obligation to protect civilian lives.