Sudanese army accuses RSF of killing 5 civilians in drone attack

KHARTOUM, Sudan/ISTANBUL

Sudan’s military accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Thursday of killing five civilians in a drone attack on El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State.

In a statement, the army said the RSF targeted the Grand Market, the industrial zone and other facilities, resulting in the deaths of five people and injuries to others.

There was no comment from the RSF on the incident.

The army condemned “this criminal behavior,” saying it is part of “a continuing pattern of violations committed by the militia against civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

It added that the RSF’s actions “are a continuation of its criminal conduct and a blatant challenge to international humanitarian law.”

The RSF and the army have been locked in a brutal power struggle since April 2023, resulting in thousands of deaths and pushing Sudan into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

More than 20,000 people have been killed and 15 million displaced, according to UN and local figures. However, US-based researchers estimate the actual death toll to be as high as 130,000.