Drone strikes kill over 20 in Sudan's city of El Obeid

El Obeid has become a focal point in the ongoing conflict between Sudan’s regular armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Over the past weeks the city has endured a steady stream of aerial attacks, with the RSF’s drones targeting civilian infrastructure and military positions alike. According to an aid worker operating in the area, the most recent weekend’s strikes were the deadliest yet, striking schools and fuel depots and killing more than 20 people, including students.

The volunteer, whose identity has been altered to protect her safety, reports that the city has been bombarded with roughly 40 to 45 drones each month, a figure that has become almost routine for residents. “We can literally count them,” she said, noting that the recent wave of attacks was unprecedented in intensity. The strikes have compounded the humanitarian crisis already gripping El Obeid, where civilians are caught between the warring factions and face escalating shortages of food, medicine and safe shelter.

As the fighting continues, international observers are calling for a ceasefire and an immediate humanitarian corridor to the besieged city. The sustained drone campaign underscores the broader pattern of air power being used to destabilize civilian populations, raising urgent concerns about compliance with international humanitarian law.