Full Breakdown
RSF Siege and Systematic Targeting of Healthcare in el-Fasher
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
The Sudanese civil war erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, became a focal point of the conflict. After a year-long siege, RSF fighters seized the city in October 2025, establishing an RSF-backed civilian administration.
Core Event: Assaults on Hospitals and Health Facilities
Between May 2024 and October 2025, the BBC documented at least 43 attacks on hospitals and other healthcare sites in el-Fasher. Key incidents include:
- Late May–early June 2024: Shelling of the South Hospital, the only operational surgical centre, while it treated 16 injured patients.
- 8 June 2024: An RSF raid forced staff to flee over a back wall; surgeon Izzeldin Ahmed Dawaud Asow was beaten with rifle butts and briefly lost consciousness.
- 25 October 2025 (scheduled): The BBC reported a major RSF assault that could result in a massacre of more than 460 patients and companions.
Witnesses described the attacks as deliberate and systematic, aimed at disabling the city’s health system.
Data & Statistics
- 43 attacks on health facilities (May 2024 – Oct 2025).
- 120 health-workers injured, 55 killed, 10 forcibly disappeared (April 2023 – Oct 2025).
- Population decline: fewer than 70,000 residents remain, down from over 1 million before the war (Amnesty International).
On-the-Ground Reports
Official Statements & Responses
- Volker Türk, UN human-rights chief, called the findings “deeply disturbing” and said the attacks may amount to war crimes.
- The World Health Organization condemned the bombing of al-Daein hospital in eastern Darfur (March 2026), describing it as a severe impact on civilian health services.
- The RSF health minister rejected the BBC investigation, labeling the allegations “propaganda.”
- Amnesty International (July 2026) documented unlawful killings, arbitrary detentions, and forced labour in el-Fasher, and called for an immediate ceasefire and the deployment of an international protection force.
Criticism & Opposition
Amnesty International highlighted systematic abuses:
- Schools converted into detention centres, with detainees subjected to torture, beatings, and forced labour.
- Ethnic targeting of Zaghawa and Masalit communities, including ransom-based releases.
- Limited humanitarian access and constant RSF surveillance, contributing to severe malnutrition and a high risk of famine (IPC Level 5).
The organization urged all countries to halt arms transfers to the United Arab Emirates, which it says continues to supply the RSF in violation of the UN embargo on Darfur.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- RSF denial vs. BBC evidence: The RSF health minister dismisses the attacks as propaganda, while the BBC’s investigation records 43 attacks and civilian casualties.
- Hospital-as-military-base claim: Dr Nugud asserts the South Hospital housed missile launchers; the BBC found no independent verification.
- Scheduled vs. reported massacre: The BBC describes a massacre on 25 October 2025, yet the date ledger marks the event as scheduled, indicating the outcome remains unverified.
What’s Next
- The UN human-rights office continues to monitor violations in el-Fasher.
- Amnesty International wrote to the RSF on 9 October 2026 demanding the release of detainees and an end to torture.
- International calls for a ceasefire and the deployment of a protective force remain pending, with no concrete timeline announced.