Sudan Hospitals Deliberately Targeted by RSF Fighters, BBC Investigation Finds
A BBC investigation has uncovered evidence that Sudanese paramilitary fighters, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), systematically destroyed healthcare infrastructure in el-Fasher during their year-long siege and subsequent takeover of the city in Darfur.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk described the findings as "deeply disturbing", stating that these attacks on civilian infrastructure, including health facilities, violate international humanitarian law and may constitute war crimes.
The RSF has denied the BBC's allegations, with their health minister calling the claims propaganda aimed at smearing the RSF's reputation.
The BBC's research, based on sources on the ground in el-Fasher, details at least 43 separate attacks on hospitals and healthcare sites between May 2024 and October 2025, with some facilities hit multiple times.
International law strictly prohibits the targeting of health facilities or their staff during conflict.
The investigation also highlights the devastating toll on medical workers:
- 120 medical workers injured
- 55 killed
- 10 forcibly "disappeared" or abducted
Dr. Muhamed Suliman, a surgeon who worked in el-Fasher during the siege, stated, "The RSF [were] trying to evacuate the hospitals... It was intense. It was deliberate. It was planned."
This investigation comes a year after el-Fasher's fall, marking one of the most brutal chapters of the civil war between the RSF and Sudan's military, which began in April 2023. Both sides have been accused of attacking health facilities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) condemned the bombing of al-Daein hospital in RSF-held eastern Darfur in 2026, attributing it to drone strikes by Sudan's military, though they deny responsibility.
The BBC's findings highlight "one of the clearest and most severe examples" of the conflict's impact on healthcare in Sudan, according to the WHO.
Key Takeaways:
- RSF attacks on el-Fasher's healthcare system were systematic and deliberate.
- International law was violated with repeated attacks on civilian health facilities.
- The conflict has taken a devastating toll on medical workers in el-Fasher.
- The findings underscore the broader impact of the Sudan conflict on healthcare.