(Reuters) -As fighters from the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary closed in on government positions in the besieged Sudanese city of al-Fashir in October, a skeleton crew from the city’s last functioning hospital treated a surge of wounded in a makeshift emergency room.

Shells pounded the area around Saudi Hospital, hitting civilians and combatants. It felt like “doomsday,” said one nurse. Her scrubs became soaked with blood as patients streamed in. Staff wrapped wounds and broken limbs in mosquito netting, having run out of gauze and tourniquets.

“We had to jump over the dead bodies to get to the patients,” the nurse said. “We couldn’t bury them because the drones were overhead.”

The next day — October 26 — shelling continued and RSF fighters entered the hospital, a witness said.

On O

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