Yabus, February 09 (Darfur24)
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, accused the Sudanese armed forces on Sunday of carrying out drone strikes in the Yabus and Shali al-Fil areas of Blue Nile State that it said killed 24 civilians.
In a statement obtained by Darfur24, the movement said a drone strike on the town of Yabus last Wednesday killed nine civilians, including women and children. It added that the attack destroyed Yabus Hospital, leveled 155 homes, and damaged property and seasonal crops in the densely populated town.
According to the statement, the strike forced more than 300 families to flee to nearby forests and valleys without shelter or food.
The movement also reported that Shali al-Fil, in Kurmuk district, was hit by air raids last Friday, which it said killed 15 people and injured dozens. It added that 25 homes were burned, along with a mill and warehouses storing corn and other food supplies, leading to the displacement of many residents.
Separately, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on February 4 that a drone strike last week near a World Food Programme facility in Yabus injured one staff member.
Fighting has recently intensified in Blue Nile State, particularly in southern areas and border zones near Ethiopia and South Sudan, including Silak, Melkin, and locations around Kurmuk.