In a series of WhatsApp messages, a healthcare worker known as Abdullah described the devastating situation at the Saudi Hospital in El-Fasher, Sudan. He reported that all his patients, colleagues, and others at the hospital were killed during an attack. "They shot them all," he said. Abdullah is hesitant to share more details due to concerns for those still trapped in the city after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control in late October. The RSF, a former state-aligned militia, has emerged as the primary opposition to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that over 460 patients and their companions were killed in the hospital. Additionally, at least six healthcare workers were abducted. Abdullah recounted fleeing through the northern gate of the hospital as the RSF advanced into the city. Thousands of refugees, including Abdullah, were forced to escape, with some traveling more than 70 kilometers to Tawilah. The RSF now controls much of western Sudan, including El-Fasher, which had been the last major stronghold of the SAF in Darfur. The city fell to the RSF after a 500-day siege.

Accessing El-Fasher and other cities in the region is increasingly difficult and dangerous. The ongoing civil war in Sudan has drawn international attention, and understanding the current conflict requires knowledge of the country's complex history. Monitoring the situation is primarily left to aid organizations still operating in the area, along with videos shared online and satellite imagery.

On October 27, around the time El-Fasher was captured, war crime investigators at the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab observed signs of violence in satellite images, including "reddish ground discoloration" and "light objects." Nathanial Raymond, the lab's executive director, explained that these discolorations and objects likely indicate blood and bodies. He noted, "They did not appear in the baseline imagery from a couple days before."

The analysis revealed vehicles blocking roads in western El-Fasher. A graphic video geolocated by ABC NEWS Verify showed bodies on the ground floor of a university building, along with evidence of an execution. Similar imagery from the Saudi Hospital indicated the presence of bodies in the area. Satellite images from October 31 showed burnt-out vehicles and bodies on the outskirts of the city. The RSF filmed the aftermath of these events and shared the footage on social media.

Raymond expressed concern over the global response to the violence, stating, "What shocked me is how little the world has cared. Unfortunately, I've seen this many, many times before, including in Sudan — but here's what's different — the scale. We're talking a quarter of a million people potentially, at least 200,000 in the kill box."

For families of El-Fasher residents living abroad, learning about the fate of their loved ones often involves viewing gruesome propaganda videos shared by the RSF. Musab Hassan, a leader of the Zaghawa community in Sydney, has been searching RSF accounts for any news about his family and friends. "This is very horrific to watch, especially on your own people," he said. Hassan, who witnessed genocide as a child, described the current situation as overwhelming.

His cousin, Abdelazziz, an aid worker in El-Fasher, was kidnapped by the RSF on October 26. The last video Hassan has of him shows the aftermath of an RSF shelling. Hassan's family paid a ransom of six million Sudanese pounds (about $15,000) for Abdelazziz's release, but communication was cut off after the payment.

Sara Sinada, a humanitarian specialist, highlighted the challenges of sharing information from within Sudan. She noted that the RSF poses a significant threat to anyone attempting to document the situation. "The biggest fear was for RSF to get anyone's phones and find a photo or a text message that documents what's happening," she said.

Hassan expressed the emotional toll of uncertainty regarding his family's fate. "We know that we experience losing our loved ones, but the more painful thing than losing loved ones is the uncertainty of your loved ones, whether he's alive or she's dead or she is a hostage," he said. "The RSF is not like any other criminal organization. They do the crime, they document it themselves, and they send it to you right away to your screen."

*Abdullah's name has been changed for his safety.