Sudan paramilitary accused of killing over 20 in drone assault

Sudanese rights group Emergency Lawyers has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of carrying out drone attacks that killed 23 civilians and injured 19 others in El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, over two consecutive days, as reported by Middle East Monitor via Anadolu Agency on June 11th.

According to the group, the attacks began late on June 10th when drones struck the city, killing five civilians and injuring twelve others. A second strike reportedly targeted mourners gathered at Dalil Cemetery during a funeral for the victims, killing four people and injuring a further seven.

The violence continued on June 11th, with drone strikes hitting residential areas in the Al-Muwazzafeen and Al-Matar neighbourhoods, as well as locations near the Sudanese army’s 5th Infantry Division headquarters. Emergency Lawyers said thirteen civilians were killed after gathering near homes damaged in the attacks.

In a separate incident, a drone reportedly struck a truck transporting food supplies at the southern entrance to the city, resulting in the drivers death.

Emergency Lawyers described the attacks as part of a broader pattern of targeting civilian gatherings, residential neighbourhoods, and civilian infrastructure. The group said strikes on rescue operations and funeral processions prompted concerns over the failure to differentiate between civilian and military targets.

The organisation held the paramilitary forces fully responsible for the attacks and said the alleged targeting of civilians constituted major violations of international law. The RSF and Sudanese authorities have not publicly responded to the accusations.

The latest allegations come amid growing concern over escalating violence in Sudan‘s Kordofan region. In May, the United Nations warned that increased drone attacks had contributed to the deaths of at least 880 civilians during the period of January to April.

North, South, and West Kordofan have seen escalating violence between the Sudanese army and the RSF in recent months. Sudan has been embroiled in war since April 2023, when tensions over plans to merge the paramilitary force with national military erupted into war. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced almost thirteen million, creating one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

Middle East Monitor via Anadolu Agency, Maghrebi.org