Drone Attack Kills Displaced Families in Central Sudan
A drone strike by a paramilitary group targeted a vehicle carrying displaced families in central Sudan, resulting in the deaths of at least 24 people, including eight children, according to the Sudan Doctors Network on Saturday.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) carried out the attack near the city of Er Rahad in North Kordofan province. The vehicle was transporting displaced individuals who had fled fighting in the Dubeiker area, the Sudan Doctors Network reported. Among the deceased children were two infants.
Several others sustained injuries and were taken to medical facilities in Er Rahad, a city experiencing severe shortages of medical supplies, a situation common across the Kordofan region, the statement added.
The Sudan Doctors Network called on the international community and human rights organizations to "take immediate action to protect civilians and hold the RSF leadership directly accountable for these violations."
There was no immediate response from the RSF, which has been engaged in conflict with the Sudanese military for control of the country for approximately three years.
Background of the Conflict
Sudan descended into chaos in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the RSF escalated into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, and other parts of the country. The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions.
Attack on Aid Convoy in North Kordofan
On Friday, a drone attack struck a World Food Programme (WFP) aid convoy in North Kordofan province, killing one person and injuring several others, according to Denise Brown, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Sudan.
The convoy was en route to deliver "life-saving food assistance" to displaced populations in the city of El Obeid when it was attacked. The strike destroyed the trucks and the aid supplies they carried.
"Attacks on aid operations undermine efforts to reach people facing hunger and displacement," Brown stated.
Last week, a drone strike near a WFP facility in Blue Nile province wounded a WFP worker, Brown added.
Reactions and Condemnations
Emergency Lawyers, an independent group documenting atrocities in Sudan, attributed the attack to the RSF. The Sudan Doctors Network described it as a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law [which] amounts to a full-fledged war crime."
Massad Boulos, a US adviser for African and Arab affairs, condemned the attack on X, calling for accountability.
"Destroying food intended for people in need and killing humanitarian workers is sickening," he said. "The Trump administration has zero tolerance for this destruction of life and of US-funded assistance; we demand accountability."
Jenny Chapman, the British minister for international development and Africa, described the attack on the WFP convoy as "disgraceful."
"Civilians are starving," she wrote on Saturday on X. "Aid workers and humanitarian operations bringing vital food should never be targeted."
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry issued a strongly worded statement on Saturday condemning the RSF for recent drone strikes, including those on the vehicle carrying displaced families, the WFP convoy, and a hospital in Kordofan that resulted in 22 deaths.
The Saudi statement urged the RSF to cease attacks on civilians and aid convoys and criticized foreign entities that continue to supply "illegal arms, mercenaries and foreign fighters," an apparent reference to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE has been accused by rights groups and UN experts of arming the paramilitary group, though it denies these allegations.
Kordofan as a Conflict Hotspot
In recent months, Kordofan has become a focal point in the ongoing war. Earlier this year, the Sudanese army succeeded in breaking the RSF siege of two major cities in the region.
Humanitarian Impact and Famine Concerns
The conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives according to UN figures, though aid organizations suggest the actual death toll may be significantly higher.
The war has precipitated the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with over 14 million people displaced. It has also contributed to disease outbreaks and pushed parts of Sudan into famine, which continues to spread as the conflict persists.
In a report released on Thursday, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed famine in two additional areas of western Darfur, marking the first confirmation of famine in these locations.
The report warned that acute malnutrition is expected to worsen in 2026, projecting a 13.5% increase in cases among children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women—from 3.7 million in 2025 to nearly 4.2 million in 2026.
Severe acute malnutrition, the most dangerous and potentially fatal form, is anticipated to rise to 800,000 cases, a 4% increase from 2025.
Mohamed Abdiladif, country director for Save the Children in Sudan, highlighted the dire situation facing children.
"Every day we hear devastating stories of parents selling the last of what they own simply to keep their children alive from one day to the next," he said.
