Sourced fact
The News
A BBC investigation revealed that forces supporting the Sudanese army regularly attacked medical infrastructure in the city of El Fasher during a prolonged siege and subsequent takeover in Darfur last year. According to the BBC investigators, there is evidence of 43 separate attacks on hospitals and health facilities from May 2024 to October 2025. The investigation indicates that these attacks violate international law and may constitute war crimes.
Dr. Izziadin Ahmed Daoud Asho, director general of the South Hospital in El Fasher, told the BBC, "They put their hands on my chest and said, 'Leave him, he is dead.' They left me." He added that the hospital was bombed and looted by forces supporting the Sudanese army.
For his part, the Minister of Health in the government supported by the forces backing the Sudanese army, Dr. Alaaddin Najud, denied that the hospital was used as a military base. He explained that the weapons found after the closure of the hospital support his claims. However, the BBC was unable to find independent evidence to support Dr. Najud's assertions.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Volker Turk, said that these attacks are "extremely worrying" and accused forces supporting the Sudanese army of violating international humanitarian law. According to the BBC, this situation represents "one of the clearest and most severe examples of the impact of conflict on healthcare in Sudan."
Analysis & context
Analysis & Context
Analytically, attacks on hospitals in Sudan are part of a broader pattern of attacks on civilian infrastructure during armed conflicts. These attacks lead to a deterioration of health conditions in affected areas and increase the suffering of civilian populations.
In a wider context, these attacks are serious violations of international laws of war, which prohibit the targeting of medical facilities and personnel. This raises concerns about international law and the legal responsibility of those involved in these attacks.
It is noteworthy that the conflict in Sudan has been ongoing for a long time, leading to a significant deterioration in health conditions. Attacks on hospitals exacerbate the suffering of civilian populations and reduce the ability of communities to recover from the conflict.
