A drone strike allegedly carried out by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least five civilians in the capital region on Saturday, according to the rights group Emergency Lawyers.
The group said the strike hit a civilian vehicle travelling from White Nile state to Omdurman. The attack occurred on the Jammouiya Triangle road in southern Omdurman, killing everyone inside the vehicle. It described the incident as part of a broader pattern of targeting civilians in public and residential areas, calling it a clear breach of international humanitarian law.
This marks the second reported drone strike in the Khartoum area within a week, following an earlier attack on a hospital in Jebel Awliya. Although Khartoum had largely avoided RSF strikes after being retaken by the Sudanese Armed Forces last year, there has been a recent rise in sporadic attacks.
Drone warfare involving both the Sudanese army and the RSF has escalated in recent months, at times resulting in high civilian casualties. While the RSF had earlier focused on military and infrastructure targets, recent incidents have raised concerns about deliberate strikes on civilians.
As the conflict enters its fourth year, fighting has mainly shifted to regions such as Darfur, Kordofan and Blue Nile state, with violence extending toward border areas near Ethiopia. Despite a temporary period of calm in Khartoum that allowed some displaced residents to return and limited services to resume, much of the city still lacks electricity and essential infrastructure.
The war, which began in April 2023, has led to tens of thousands of deaths, with some estimates placing the toll above 200,000. Millions have been displaced, making it one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data monitor, at least 59,000 people have been killed, though aid organisations believe the actual number is significantly higher due to restricted access to many conflict-affected areas.
