Dozens of people were reportedly killed after Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a drone attack on the strategic town of Dilling in South Kordofan state, according to local media and medical sources.
The attack, carried out on Wednesday, reportedly targeted multiple locations, including the headquarters of the Sudanese army’s 54th Brigade and the town’s central market. Suicide drones struck densely populated areas, causing heavy casualties and widespread destruction, the Sudan Tribune reported.
Town targeted after siege lifted
The assault came a day after the Sudanese Armed Forces announced that it had broken a nearly two-year siege imposed by the Rapid Support Forces on Dilling, reopening key supply routes.
Dilling lies between Kadugli, the besieged state capital, and El-Obeid, making it strategically vital. Military sources said the RSF was attempting to reimpose the blockade, while government forces continued to repel attacks in nearby areas.
Humanitarian crisis deepens
Medical groups and local residents described the situation on the ground as dire. Health facilities have been damaged, and there is an acute shortage of medicines, food and intravenous fluids. The Sudan Doctors Network has called for the immediate establishment of a humanitarian corridor to deliver life-saving aid.
The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces, ongoing since April 2023, has killed thousands and displaced millions.
Mass displacement and hunger
According to United Nations, more than 65,000 people have fled the Kordofan region since October. The war has displaced around 14 million people overall, creating what the UN describes as the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis.
The International Criminal Court has launched investigations into alleged war crimes by both sides, amid reports of mass killings, sexual violence and looting.