Cairo, Oct 9:
A drone strike hit homes and a mosque in Sudan’s southeastern Blue Nile state, killing at least four women and injuring dozens of people, according to a rights group monitoring the country’s conflict. The attack has added to mounting civilian casualties in a war that has devastated communities and displaced millions.
The strike occurred on Wednesday in the Hijra neighbourhood of Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile state. Emergency Lawyers, a group that tracks abuses and violence linked to the conflict, blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the attack. The RSF had not immediately commented on the allegation.
The strike damaged residential properties and a mosque, raising fresh concerns about the safety of civilians and religious sites. Emergency Lawyers condemned the attack and called for those responsible for violence against civilians to be held accountable.
The incident comes amid a prolonged conflict between Sudan’s military and the RSF, which began in April 2023 after tensions between the two forces escalated into open fighting in Khartoum. The war has since spread across the country, with repeated attacks affecting residential areas, essential infrastructure and humanitarian operations.
The latest violence follows an airstrike on two World Food Programme trucks in Dilling, in South Kordofan state, that killed a driver, according to Denise Brown, the United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinator for Sudan. The trucks were clearly marked as humanitarian vehicles, had the necessary travel permits and were carrying emergency assistance for vulnerable people.
Brown condemned the attack on the aid convoy, describing it as particularly alarming amid the widespread suffering caused by the conflict. The United Nations has reported that 17 food trucks have been destroyed and eight drivers killed in attacks on humanitarian convoys over the past two years.
The war has created one of the world’s gravest humanitarian emergencies. Conflict-monitoring estimates indicate that at least 150,000 people have been killed, although aid organisations warn that the actual toll may be higher. More than 12.4 million people have been displaced from their homes, while 33.7 million people, including 17.3 million children, are expected to need humanitarian assistance this year. An estimated 825,000 children face severe acute malnutrition.
Diplomatic efforts to end the fighting have continued, but the conflict has shown little sign of easing. The latest drone strike underscores the urgent need to protect civilians, preserve access for humanitarian organisations and prevent further attacks on homes, places of worship and aid operations.