Kordofan, February 19 (Darfur24)
Several people, including children, were killed in a drone strike that targeted a water source in West Kordofan State on the first day of Ramadhan, in an incident that drew widespread condemnation from political and human rights groups.
Darfur24 was unable to verify the exact number of victims, but videos published by the Emergency Lawyers showed scenes from the aftermath of the bombing, indicating the presence of women and children among the dead.
The Rapid Support Forces accused the Sudanese Armed Forces of killing dozens of civilians in the attack, which it said targeted residents gathering to collect drinking water from a well in the village of Um Rasoum, West Kordofan. The RSF described the incident as a “horrific crime” and a systematic targeting of unarmed civilians.
In a statement, the force held the army fully responsible, asserting that targeting areas “free of any armed presence” constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity under international humanitarian law. It called for an immediate and independent international investigation, accountability for those responsible, and measures to protect civilians in conflict zones.
There was no immediate comment from the Sudanese military regarding the accusations.
For its part, Emergency Lawyers said the drone strike was a deliberate targeting of civilians, adding that the bombing resulted in casualties among women and children who had gathered to transport drinking water and disrupted a vital water supply serving 17 villages, exacerbating humanitarian suffering.
The Civil Democratic Alliance of Revolutionary Forces (Sumud) also condemned the attack, stating that several areas in Sudan, particularly across the Kordofan states, have witnessed escalating drone strikes against civilians in violation of international humanitarian law.
The coalition added that similar incidents were reported in the Al-Sunut area of Abu Zabad locality, where a shelter for displaced people was hit, and in the Al-Safiya market in Sudri locality, where a drone strike during a market day resulted in casualties.
The statement further cited attacks on the Adiri crossing that disrupted humanitarian access and accused the Rapid Support Forces of carrying out a drone strike on a hospital in Al-Mazmum locality in the Blue Nile region, resulting in civilian casualties.
The coalition condemned the continued targeting of civilian sites and the escalation of military operations, warning that such actions deepen the humanitarian crisis and threaten civilian lives. It called on both sides of the conflict to uphold commitments to civilian protection and to seize the month of Ramadhan as an opportunity to take steps toward halting hostilities.