By John Q. Hosedrinker 
In the wake of a 48-hour killing spree resulting in over 2,000 civilian deaths, a maternity hospital in El Fasher was attacked, resulting in the deaths of over 460 patients and their companions. Satellite imagery and reports from the World Health Organisation and humanitarian groups reveal the devastating aftermath, including bodies scattered across the hospital floor. The RSF, accused of war crimes and potential genocide, is also alleged to be behind these atrocities, and has taken control of the majority of western Sudan. The recent events have sparked calls for an immediate end to the military escalation, while international efforts to mediate a ceasefire continue to face challenges.
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Maternity hospital massacre in Sudan leaves 460 dead, an event so horrific it’s difficult to process, let alone articulate. The news reports a level of brutality that feels almost unimaginable, where patients and staff, the very essence of care and life, were butchered. This happened in El Fasher, the city’s last remaining hospital. The World Health Organization confirmed this horrifying tragedy.
This act of violence is compounded by the fact that it came just after a 48-hour period where over 2,000 civilians were executed. The reports say this was carried out by paramilitary rebels, adding another layer of horror to an already devastating situation. The implications are staggering, pointing to a systematic attack on the most vulnerable.
The details are chilling. The World Health Organization said the hospital, which had already been attacked several times, was targeted again. Reports say a nurse was killed, and other healthcare workers were injured. Then, just days later, the hospital was the site of the massacre where over 460 patients and their companions were reportedly shot and killed. These actions are attributed to Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries.
There are accounts of the aftermath, of bodies scattered across the floor, amidst the debris and the wreckage of medical equipment. A gynaecologist, who was performing surgery when the shelling began, described the chaos and fear that enveloped the hospital. The sounds of heavy shelling and the screams of the injured must have been terrifying.
The conflict itself began in mid-April 2023, when tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the head of the paramilitary rebel group reached a boiling point. The city of El Fasher is under siege and it sounds like the situation is only getting worse.
The Joint Forces, allies of the army, said that the RSF committed heinous crimes, executing over 2,000 unarmed citizens in a two-day period. Most of the victims were women, children, and the elderly. The sheer scale of the violence raises serious questions about the nature of the conflict and the groups involved.
The level of suffering is enormous, and the international community’s response has been, by many accounts, insufficient. The images and reports are horrific, and the silence surrounding this event is deafening.
Satellite images from the Yale School of Public Health Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) showed clusters of objects consistent with human bodies. There are also reports of reddish discoloration on the ground, potentially indicating blood or disturbed soil, confirming the true horror.
A video, verified by news agencies, shows a fighter shooting unarmed civilians at point-blank range. This act is not an isolated incident but part of a larger pattern of violence and cruelty. A report, published by a human rights group, suggests that the actions of the RSF may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, potentially rising to the level of genocide.
Mohammad Hamdan Daglo, the head of the RSF, has vowed to unify the country by peace or through war. The capture of El Fasher, the last army holdout in the Darfur region, raises fears of a return to the ethnically targeted atrocities of two decades ago. The UN chief has called for an immediate end to the military escalation.
The RSF now controls most of western Sudan. The regular army dominates the north, east, and center. While the army regained control of Khartoum, the RSF has set up a parallel administration in Nyala. Analysts warn that the country is now effectively partitioned.
Daglo, while expressing sympathy, also stated that civilians were off-limits. This is hard to reconcile with the actions of the RSF, descended from the Janjaweed militias, who have been accused of ethnic genocide.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported deaths and missing volunteers in another city captured by the RSF. More than 33,000 people have fled El Fasher. Around 177,000 remain.
Access routes to El Fasher and satellite communications have been cut off, except for the RSF, who control the Starlink network in the city. The war has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and triggered a major humanitarian crisis.
The fighting has forced over 14 million people from their homes. Amnesty International suggests that the RSF has used rape, murder, and torture to terrorize and subjugate the population. The army, too, has been accused of war crimes.
Efforts by international powers to mediate a truce have reached an impasse. Despite the diplomats’ efforts, outside powers have been accused of interfering in the conflict. The level of destruction, the human cost, and the deliberate targeting of civilians point to a deliberate and calculated campaign of violence.