A deadly drone strike has claimed the lives of at least 12 civilians, including six children, in Sudan’s war-ravaged North Darfur region, underscoring the growing toll of the country’s protracted conflict.
The attack, which occurred on Wednesday in the town of Kutum, reportedly targeted a residential area, leaving families devastated and communities in mourning.
Medical sources confirmed that among the victims were three female secondary school students, highlighting the tragic impact on young lives.
According to a local medical official who spoke anonymously for safety reasons, 16 others sustained injuries in the strike, many of them women and children.
The wounded are currently receiving treatment in local health facilities struggling under the weight of ongoing violence.
Activists from the El-Fasher Resistance Committee said the strike hit the Al-Salama neighbourhood near a girls’ school, attributing responsibility to the Sudanese army. However, there has been no immediate official response from military authorities.
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The incident comes amid a surge in drone warfare between Sudan’s armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, both of whom have increasingly deployed such weapons since conflict erupted in April 2023.
The intensifying use of drones has raised alarm among international observers.
The United Nations recently reported that more than 500 civilians were killed in drone attacks between January and mid-March alone, warning about the devastating consequences of deploying relatively low-cost but highly destructive technology in densely populated areas.
Now approaching its third year, the conflict in Sudan has spiralled into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Tens of thousands have been killed, while over 11 million people have been displaced, according to UN estimates.
The crisis has also triggered widespread hunger and collapsed essential services, leaving millions in urgent need of aid.
For residents of North Darfur, each new strike deepens fear and uncertainty. Families continue to bear the brunt of a war that shows little sign of ending, as calls grow louder for international intervention and renewed peace efforts.