At least 40 people in Sudan have been killed in a drone strike that targeted a funeral in the village of al-Luweib, located near the army-held city of el-Obeid in North Kordofan state. Reports indicate that mourners were gathered under a tent when the attack occurred, with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) being blamed for the deadly strike.
The situation remains dire, as many victims reportedly succumbed to their injuries before they could reach medical facilities in el-Obeid, a city that has become increasingly strategic due to its connection between the capital, Khartoum, and the western region of Darfur.
In recent days, fighting has escalated in this oil-rich region, resulting in the flight of approximately 20,000 people to el-Obeid following the RSF's seizure of nearby Bara town, which is situated 30 km north of the city.
The capture of Bara coincided with the fall of el-Fasher, once a stronghold for the military in Darfur. There have been alarming reports of mass killings, sexual violence, abductions, and rampant looting perpetrated by RSF fighters in the wake of these battles.
The United Nations has expressed deep concern over the reported summary executions of civilians, indicating that such acts could constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The RSF’s leadership has vowed to investigate these allegations while denying claims that the killings are part of an ethnic targeting pattern against non-Arab populations.
In light of the escalating conflict and humanitarian disaster, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an urgent cessation of hostilities and emphasized the critical need for negotiations to end the violence plaguing Sudan.
As the humanitarian crisis worsens, the Integrated Food Security Phase network reported alarming levels of famine in regions like el-Fasher and Kadugli, exacerbating the plight of vulnerable populations caught in the crossfire of the ongoing civil war.
Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, over 150,000 people have died and approximately 12 million have fled their homes, marking the crisis as one of the most severe globally.
