Zalingei, February 13 (Darfur24)
Several civilians were injured on Thursday after a drone strike believed to have been carried out by the Sudanese army targeted the central prison in Zalingei, Central Darfur State, according to medical and eyewitness accounts.
A medical source at Zalingei Hospital told Darfur24 that more than 10 people sustained injuries of varying severity from shrapnel caused by the bombardment.
An eyewitness, who asked to be identified as “Abu Omar,” said the drone first struck the Kilo 2 area east of Zalingei before flying toward the city center and directly hitting the prison. He said the injured included civilians visiting relatives detained by the Rapid Support Forces.
The witness described loud explosions followed by thick smoke rising over the city.
Another eyewitness said the strike east of the city hit a Rapid Support Forces vehicle, in addition to the prison attack that wounded several visitors. She added that the drone circled overhead for an extended period without anti-aircraft response, prompting a temporary halt in vehicle movement inside the city.
“Residents fled from the market to inner neighborhoods, and shops closed for hours before reopening after the drone left,” she said.
Sudan has been gripped by intense fighting since April 2023 between the Sudanese armed forces and allied groups on one side and the Rapid Support Forces on the other. Drones have been increasingly used in attacks affecting both military and civilian areas.