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Horrific Reports Emerge from El-Fasher: Hospital Massacre and Abductions as RSF Takes Control
Johannesburg, South Africa – A chilling account of heroism turning to horror has emerged from the war-torn city of el-Fasher in Sudan. For months, medical professionals at the Saudi Maternity Hospital, the last functioning facility in the besieged city, performed life-saving operations under unimaginable conditions, often by torchlight and amidst relentless shelling.
“They are heroes, honestly,” stated Dr. Mohamed Faisal Elsheikh, a Sudanese medical doctor based in Manchester and spokesperson for the Sudan Doctors Network. “They really work in a very difficult environment, they had no medical instruments, there’s no any medicines over there, there’s no electricity…and yet with all dedication and commitment…they saved as much as they could of people’s lives.”
However, their valiant efforts have been tragically cut short. Following the city’s fall to the Sudanese paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), on Sunday, October 26, 2025, reports of a massacre at the hospital and the abduction of medical staff have sent shockwaves through the international community.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the grim details on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. “On 28 October, six health workers, four doctors, a nurse and a pharmacist, were abducted” from the hospital. The statement further detailed a horrific incident: “On the same day, more than 460 patients and their companions were reportedly shot and killed in the hospital.”
WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed his deep shock and horror at the massacre, reiterating the call for health facilities, workers, and patients to be protected under international law. He highlighted the escalating attacks on healthcare in Sudan, noting that “Prior to this latest attack, WHO has verified 185 attacks on health care in Sudan with 1204 deaths and 416 injuries of health workers and patients since the start of the conflict in April 2023.”
Disturbing videos, believed to have been filmed by RSF fighters, are circulating online, purporting to show militiamen navigating the ransacked hospital wards, stepping over deceased individuals, and executing those still alive at close range. While these videos cannot be independently verified, they contribute to the mounting evidence of atrocities.
RSF leader, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has publicly pledged to investigate the allegations of war crimes. However, skepticism remains high given his past failures to genuinely address previous accusations of human rights abuses.
Since the RSF overcame the Sudanese army and took control of el-Fasher – a city they had besieged for over 500 days – videos, satellite imagery, and testimonies from fleeing residents indicate a systematic “scorched earth” policy. The RSF has been locked in a bloody civil war with the national army since 2023, vying for control of the resource-rich nation situated at a critical geopolitical crossroads.
‘Crisis of Apathy’ Amidst Echoes of Genocide
The RSF’s origins trace back to the janjaweed militia, which gained notoriety for terrorizing Darfur in the early 2000s and was accused of genocide. The United States has already accused the RSF and allied Arab militias of committing genocide against African ethnic groups in the current conflict, drawing alarming parallels to the past.
Even before its recent fall, the situation in el-Fasher was dire. A year and a half long blockade had left approximately 250,000 civilians facing starvation and famine-like conditions. The UN’s migration organization reports that 26,000 people have managed to flee since the RSF takeover, many seeking refuge and aid in Tawila, North Darfur, where Doctors Without Borders operates the closest health point.
Doctors Without Borders, which previously supported the Saudi hospital, ceased operations in el-Fasher in August 2024 due to escalating dangers. On Wednesday, the NGO reported “extremely alarming levels of malnutrition among women and children” arriving in Tawila, indicative of a severe famine.
Dr. Mohamed Javid Abdelmoneim, International President of Doctors Without Borders, expressed concern over the scarcity of adult men among the arrivals, raising fears of ethnically targeted violence. “This is testament to the horror unfolding in and around the city,” he stated.
Heart-wrenching testimonies from survivors paint a grim picture. One mother of six, who wished to remain anonymous for her safety, recounted to aid workers from Save the Children: “We hid the children in trenches, and we ran into abandoned buildings during the attacks. After that, we just ate umbaz (animal feed).”
Another woman described a harrowing four-day trek to safety, during which she was brutally beaten and robbed by a gang. “We lost family members, we lost neighbors, we lost everyone,” she tearfully recounted.
“We’ve been walking for the past four days from el-Fasher. A group of motorbike riders met us on the way…They killed people and insulted us a lot.”
The UN Security Council convened a meeting on the crisis on Thursday, October 30, 2025. Tom Fletcher, the UN’s humanitarian chief, highlighted the disturbing echoes of the Darfur genocide two decades ago.
“But what is different today, we are seeing a different global reaction. One of resignation,” he said.
“So this is also a crisis of apathy.”