A BBC investigation found Sudanese hospitals in El Fasher were attacked by forces supporting the Sudanese army, with 43 attacks recorded between May 2024 and October 2025. The South Hospital was raided on June 8, with staff beaten and equipment destroyed.
The BBC investigation revealed that RSF fighters systematically targeted hospitals in El Fasher during a prolonged siege, with 43 attacks documented between May 2024 and October 2025. The South Hospital, a key facility, faced a critical raid on June 8, during which director general Dr. Izzeldin Ahmed Dawaud Asow was beaten by fighters who called him a ‘foreigner’ and left him for dead, as he recounted, ‘They put their hand on my chest, and I stopped breathing.’. And they said: ‘Leave him, leave him. The rubbish has died. Leave him.’ They left me,” he recounted, describing the attack that forced the hospital’s closure.
Conflicting Claims Over Hospital Use
Dr. Alaaddin Najud, the health minister in the RSF-backed government, denied allegations that the South Hospital was used as a military base, stating weapons found after its closure supported his claims. However, the BBC found no independent evidence to corroborate this, and the Darfur regional government rejected the charges. The hospital’s staff later relocated to the Saudi Maternity Hospital, which faced repeated strikes, with doctors reporting up to 25 attacks per day using intelligent rockets.
A Pattern of Systematic Targeting
The BBC’s timeline documented a steady closure of private hospitals and clinics, with relocated facilities also under fire. The Specialised Children’s Hospital, which moved twice during the war, was shelled both times, and the main dialysis center faced repeated assaults. A report by the BBC cited evidence of act harmful to the enemy
under international law, which could strip hospitals of protections if used for military purposes. However, the lack of independent verification of such claims left the situation in legal limbo.
International Concerns and Ongoing Risks
The investigation highlights a broader pattern of civilian infrastructure being weaponized in Sudan’s protracted conflict.