A Sudanese rights group has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of killing 23 civilians and injuring 19 in drone strikes in El-Obeid, North Kordofan State, for a second consecutive day. The Emergency Lawyers group reported that the attacks began late Wednesday and continued into Thursday, with the first strike resulting in five deaths and 12 injuries, followed by an attack during a funeral that killed four more. Additional strikes targeted residential neighborhoods, resulting in 13 deaths near the Sudanese army’s 5th Infantry Division headquarters and another fatality involving a food supply truck. The group condemned the RSF for indiscriminately targeting civilians, stating that these actions violate international humanitarian law. As of now, there has been no response from the RSF or Sudanese authorities regarding the allegations.
Why It Matters
The ongoing conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023 when fighting erupted between the army and the RSF, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands killed and nearly 13 million displaced. The Kordofan region, where these recent attacks occurred, has seen intense fighting since October 2022. The United Nations has reported that drone strikes in the region resulted in at least 880 civilian deaths between January and April 2023, highlighting the dire situation for civilians amid the escalating violence. The systematic targeting of civilian areas raises significant concerns about human rights violations and the protection of non-combatants in conflict zones.
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