Drone Strike Kills Four at El-Obeid Funeral Procession; RSF Blamed for Civilian Deaths
A drone strike targeting a funeral procession at a cemetery in the Sudanese city of El-Obeid has killed at least four individuals and injured several others, according to reports from the Sudan Doctors Network and Emergency Lawyers groups.
Both organisations attribute the attack to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Emergency Lawyers stated that this incident is part of a series of drone strikes that commenced on Wednesday evening, resulting in a total of at least 23 fatalities.
El-Obeid, currently under the control of the Sudanese army, represents a critical front in the country's three-year civil conflict. The city's strategic importance stems from its location within the oil-rich Kordofan region, serving as a buffer between RSF-held territories in the west and army-dominated areas to the east. Analysts contend that control over this region is vital for asserting influence over Sudan’s oil supply and a substantial portion of the nation.
Beyond the cemetery attack, Emergency Lawyers reported that drones also struck residential homes, the airport district, and areas surrounding an army base, leading to the deaths of thirteen civilians who had gathered near destroyed properties. Five additional civilians were reportedly killed in earlier assaults. A resident described the devastation, stating, "The roofs of houses collapsed on their occupants. When you look at some houses, you feel no-one could have survived."
The ongoing conflict has precipitated a severe humanitarian crisis, displacing over 11 million people and leaving 28 million facing acute hunger. While precise figures remain elusive, the death toll is estimated to be at least 50,000.
