Drone strike kills dozens of displaced civilians in Sudan's Blue Nile region
A drone operated by the Rapid Support Forces hit the centre of Wad al-Mahi province, killing at least 30 displaced people, including women and children, and wounding many others.
At least 30 internally displaced persons, among them 26 women and four children, were killed when a Rapid Support Forces drone struck the centre of Wad al-Mahi province in southeastern Sudan. Governor Mahjoub Al-Sheikh condemned the "cowardly" attack and said the aircraft was launched from within Ethiopia. The blast occurred just outside a displacement camp and close to an informal gold-mining site near Damazin, where women work manually to extract gold.
This incident follows a series of drone assaults targeting the Blue Nile region, part of a broader war between the Sudanese army and the RSF that also involves the Kordofan front. Sudan blames Ethiopia for harboring RSF fighters, a claim Ethiopia denies, and the porous border remains a key supply route. The civil war, which began in April 2023, has caused over 200,000 deaths and created one of the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises.
Why it matters
The strike highlights the escalating use of drones in Sudan's civil war and the risk to vulnerable displaced civilians.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth camps report the civilian deaths from a RSF drone strike, but left-leaning coverage highlights the governor’s “cowardly” description and alleged Ethiopian launch, while right-leaning coverage labels the strike a war crime and stresses violations of international humanitarian law.
LEFT
Frames the strike as a cowardly attack on displaced civilians, noting alleged Ethiopian involvement.
RIGHT
Frames the strike as a war crime by the RSF, emphasizing the civilian nature of the victims and breaches of humanitarian law.
The left emphasises
- "cowardly" attack
- aircraft launched from within Ethiopia
- women working manually at a nearby gold-mining site
The right emphasises
- war crime
- unarmed civilians fleeing conflict
- violation of international humanitarian law
How this story developed
- Sep 23 Tigrayan forces capture Mekelle airport, prompting Ethiopian Airlines to halt regional flights
- Sep 23 Ethiopian Airlines posted a flight suspension following the reported airport seizure.
- Oct 2 A seven-group coalition headed by the TPLF has clashed with Ethiopia’s army in the north, while neighboring states and Gulf powers are accused of backing opposite sides.
- Oct 3 TPLF forces are withdrawing from Mekelle as federal troops advance toward the capital.
- Oct 4 A new coalition of seven anti‑government militias under the TPLF has been formed.
- Oct 5 Federal troops and pro‑government militias entered Mekelle following the TPLF’s announced withdrawal.
In this story
Related stories
11 in this thread