In brief
A BBC investigation uncovered 43 separate attacks on hospitals in el‑Fasher, Darfur, between May 2024 and October 2025. Medical workers suffered 120 injuries, 55 deaths and 10 abductions as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) deliberately targeted health infrastructure. UN human‑rights chief Volker Türk condemned the attacks as war crimes. The RSF denies the claims, calling them propaganda, while the WHO and WHO officials highlight the severe humanitarian impact. This story exposes the deadly intersection of war and healthcare in Sudan.
Hospitals deliberately targeted by Sudan's RSF fighters, BBC investigation finds.
The BBC uncovered evidence that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) systematically struck medical facilities in el‑Fasher, a city in Darfur, during a year‑long siege. The investigation shows 43 separate attacks from May 2024 to October 2025.
“These attacks were a deliberate attempt to cripple the city,” said Dr Muhamed Suliman, a surgeon who worked in el‑Fasher. “The RSF was putting hospitals out of service so people could’t survive.”
UN human‑rights chief Volker Türk called the findings “deeply disturbing” and warned that such attacks violate international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes. The RSF has denied the allegations and the government says the reports are propaganda.
During the siege, 120 medical workers were injured, 55 were killed, and 10 were abducted or “disappeared.” The attacks also hit school clinics, a dialysis centre, and even temporary surgery sites. Drones and shelling were used repeatedly, and the Saudi Maternity Hospital, the last functioning facility, was hit up to 25 times on a single day.
One of the most shocking moments occurred on 15 March 2025 when a drone tracked a caravan carrying wounded patients to a makeshift ward, striking as they entered and killing nine people. Dr Asow, chief of the Saudi Hospital, described the frenzy: “We were running, but the drone poured fire.”
Photos taken by the BBC show the devastation: a ruined medical warehouse, a collapsed operation theatre, and damaged ambulances. These images, together with satellite clips, illustrate the scale of the violence.
The RSF-backed government has since reopened some hospitals, but many patients now face limited access to care. The UN and WHO urge a ceasefire and protection for medical personnel.
Experts say the war has turned healthcare sites into strategic targets, turning hospitals from lifesavers into deadly targets. This brutal reality underlines the urgent need for global accountability.
