CAIRO (AP) – A drone attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a notorious paramilitary group, struck a vehicle transporting displaced families in central Sudan on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of at least 24 individuals, including eight children, as reported by the Sudan Doctors Network, an organization that monitors the country’s ongoing conflict. The attack occurred near the city of Rahad in North Kordofan province and came just a day after a World Food Program (WFP) aid convoy was targeted.
The vehicle targeted in Saturday's attack was carrying individuals who had fled from fighting in the Dubeiker area. Among the deceased children were two infants. In addition to the fatalities, several others were injured and transported to Rahad for medical treatment amid a dire shortage of medical supplies, a common plight in the Kordofan region. The doctors' group called on the international community and human rights organizations to act swiftly to protect civilians and hold the RSF leadership accountable for these violations.
The RSF has been at war with the Sudanese military for almost three years, fighting for control of the country. Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in turmoil following a power struggle between the military and the RSF, leading to open conflict in Khartoum and across the nation. This conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
On Friday, the WFP aid convoy in North Kordofan was attacked, resulting in one fatality and several injuries, according to Denise Brown, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Sudan. The convoy was en route to deliver essential food assistance to displaced individuals in the city of Obeid when it was struck, leading to the destruction of the trucks and supplies intended for those in need. Brown condemned the attack, stating that such assaults undermine vital humanitarian efforts to alleviate hunger and displacement.
In a related incident, a drone strike near a WFP facility in the Blue Nile province wounded a WFP worker, indicating a pattern of targeting humanitarian efforts. Emergency Lawyers, an independent group documenting atrocities in Sudan, attributed the attack to the RSF, while the Sudan Doctors Network labeled it a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law" that constitutes a war crime.
Massad Boulos, a U.S. advisor for African and Arab affairs, expressed condemnation of the attack on social media, emphasizing the need to hold those responsible accountable. He described the destruction of food meant for vulnerable populations and the killing of humanitarian workers as repugnant. Boulos affirmed that the Trump Administration maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward the destruction of life and U.S.-funded assistance.
In recent months, North Kordofan has emerged as a critical battleground in the war, with the Sudanese army reportedly managing to break the RSF siege of two significant cities in the region earlier this year. The conflict has resulted in over 40,000 deaths, according to U.N. figures, though aid organizations suggest this number may be significantly understated. Furthermore, it has generated the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, displacing over 14 million people, sparking disease outbreaks, and exacerbating a famine that continues to spread as the war shows little indication of abating.
By Samy Magdy, The Associated Press
