El Obeid, November 4 (Darfur24)
A drone strike targeted a civilian gathering on Monday morning in the Al-Luweib area, east of El Obeid in North Kordofan State, killing and injuring several people.
Local sources told Darfur24 that the drone struck a mourning tent where residents had gathered to offer condolences. More than ten people were reportedly killed at the scene, and several others were wounded.
The attack caused panic among residents, who rushed to evacuate the injured to nearby hospitals amid scenes of destruction and bloodshed.
Sources reported that the strike occurred without warning, in an area that had not experienced any recent military activity.
The North Kordofan government said in a statement that El Obeid Teaching Hospital had received three bodies and 50 wounded, including 13 children and 37 women. Seven of the injured were in critical condition and required urgent surgery.
The city of El Obeid and surrounding areas have faced a worsening security situation since fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, with drone attacks on civilian targets becoming increasingly frequent and deepening the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Meanwhile, at least seven civilians were killed and six others injured, including children, when a drone strike targeted the rural hospital in the town of Karnoi, about 200 kilometers northwest of El Fasher in North Darfur State, on Monday.
A medical source told Darfur24 that the drone, allegedly operated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), struck the women and children’s ward of the hospital. Among the dead were several children, while some of the wounded remain in critical condition.
The source added that the lack of ambulances and the long distance to the nearest medical centers in Ambro and Al-Tina pose a serious threat to the lives of the injured.
Another local source, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the drone fired more than six missiles, hitting both the hospital and nearby homes. The attack caused fires and widespread panic among residents.
Eyewitnesses reported that Sudanese army defenses and members of the joint force stationed in the area opened heavy fire in an attempt to shoot down the drone, which had hovered over the town for more than an hour.
In recent months, several cities across Darfur have witnessed repeated drone attacks, attributed to both warring parties in Sudan’s ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, resulting in mounting civilian casualties and property damage.