EL FASHER, SUDAN (October 12, 2025) — The humanitarian crisis in Sudan deepened this week after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a series of deadly attacks in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. At least 53 civilians were killed over three days as the paramilitary group reportedly targeted hospitals, displacement camps, and residential areas already overwhelmed by months of conflict.
According to reports from the United Nations and local aid organizations, the Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital, one of the few medical facilities still operational in the region, suffered heavy damage after being hit by drone strikes. The attack killed dozens, including women, children, and medical staff. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as patients and doctors fled collapsing wards.
“This hospital was our last refuge,” said one volunteer medic. “We were treating mothers and children. Suddenly, there was fire, smoke, and screams everywhere.”
Civilian Areas Under Fire
The hospital assault followed waves of drone and artillery strikes that devastated nearby neighborhoods such as Abu Shouk and Daraja Oula, as well as a large camp sheltering displaced families. Over 50 people were confirmed dead, with dozens more injured in the attacks. Eyewitnesses told local media that residential homes, mosques, and makeshift shelters were reduced to rubble within minutes.
The UN Human Rights Office condemned the strikes as “flagrant violations of international humanitarian law,” warning that the deliberate targeting of hospitals and civilians could amount to war crimes. The World Health Organization (WHO) echoed the alarm, noting that Sudan’s fragile healthcare system is “collapsing under the weight of violence.”
A City Under Siege
El Fasher has been under RSF siege since May 2024, leaving hundreds of thousands trapped with limited access to food, water, or medical care. Most hospitals have closed due to damage or lack of supplies, and humanitarian aid is struggling to reach the city amid ongoing blockades.
Aid groups, including UNRWA, Anera, and the Red Cross, have reported rising malnutrition and disease in overcrowded camps. “The conditions are beyond crisis level,” said one relief coordinator. “Families are drinking unsafe water and children are dying from preventable infections.”
Global Outcry and Calls for Accountability
The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, publicly condemned the hospital strike, urging “an immediate end to attacks on healthcare facilities and personnel.” The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, labeled the incidents “blatant atrocities,” demanding that those responsible face international justice.
Despite international outrage, fighting continues across Sudan between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), with neither side showing willingness to halt hostilities. Analysts warn that without diplomatic intervention, El Fasher could become the epicenter of one of Africa’s worst humanitarian disasters in decades.
A City in Ruins, Hope Fading
For survivors, the return to normal life feels distant. Residents describe entire districts flattened, families buried beneath debris, and hospitals reduced to ashes. Still, amid the devastation, small pockets of resilience endure. Local doctors continue treating the wounded in improvised clinics, while volunteers dig through rubble searching for survivors.
“Every day, we lose people,” said Dr. Huda Ibrahim, a physician who stayed behind. “But we also find strength in helping one another. Even if the world has forgotten us, we refuse to give up.”
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