RSF demands over $250,000 ransom for abducted doctors in El Fasher

October 28, 2025 (EL FASHER) – The Sudan Doctors’ Network reported on Tuesday that members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have abducted six medical personnel in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, and are demanding a ransom of over $250,000 from their families for their release.

The abductions come just days after the RSF seized control of El Fasher following the withdrawal of the Sudanese army and its allies. The takeover led to a wave of widespread abuses against civilians, including ethnically motivated killings and looting, according to UN and human rights reports.

In a statement, the Sudan Doctors’ Network said members of the paramilitary group arrested four doctors, a pharmacist, and a nurse who were providing medical services to the wounded and sick during the siege the RSF imposed on the city.

The statement noted that the kidnappers have demanded a ransom of approximately 100 million Sudanese pounds for each doctor, equivalent to about $42,000 at the official exchange rate.

The network held the RSF fully responsible for the safety of the abducted personnel, describing the act as an organized crime targeting what remains of the healthcare system in Darfur. It called on the World Health Organization and international human rights and medical organizations to take urgent action to press for their release and hold the perpetrators accountable.

Communication has been lost since October 26 with the medical staff at the Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, which was the last medical facility providing limited emergency services in the city, amidst fears they may have been physically harmed, as the facility had previously been subjected to deadly attacks by RSF drones.