Al-Daein/Nyala/Karnoi, May 12 (Darfur24)
Drone attacks intensified across several areas in Darfur this week, targeting Rapid Support Forces (RSF) positions, commanders’ residences, commercial vehicles, and vital civilian infrastructure, amid growing fears of worsening humanitarian conditions and civilian casualties.
In East Darfur State, local sources said drones believed to belong to the Sudanese army struck four sites in Al-Daein, the state capital, early Tuesday morning. The targets included the residence of East Darfur civil administration chief Mohamed Idris Khater, the home of RSF commander Mohamed Naji, and the residence of deputy commander Haroun Abdullah in the Al-Baytari neighborhood.
Sources told Darfur24 that the strikes injured at least two members of the security detail stationed at the governor’s residence, in addition to a civilian. No fatalities were immediately confirmed, while the extent of material damage remains unclear.
In South Darfur, residents in Nyala reported renewed drone strikes targeting RSF positions and commanders’ homes following days of powerful explosions across the city. Witnesses said one drone struck a site near the Humanitarian Aid Commission in Al-Mazad neighborhood, while another targeted a residence in Al-Riyadh neighborhood believed to be hosting senior RSF commanders arriving from the Kordofan front lines.
A third drone reportedly struck an open area near RSF facilities in the airport district. The attacks came days after drones bombed the vicinity of Nyala International Airport and the Al-Mazlaqan training camp north of the city.
Meanwhile, in North Darfur, commercial vehicles near the town of Karnoi came under aerial bombardment on Monday. Haroun Khater, a tribal leader, told Darfur24 that an unidentified drone fired three missiles at Land Cruiser vehicles transporting passengers and goods, setting them ablaze and injuring several civilians.
In a separate incident, the Emergency Room Council in Al-Tina condemned the bombing of the “Andour Well,” a critical water source for residents and displaced communities. The strike reportedly killed and injured civilians, destroyed livestock, and rendered the well completely inoperable.
The council warned that the destruction of the water facility has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis and could expose hundreds of families to disease outbreaks and acute water shortages. It called on humanitarian organizations to urgently provide alternative water supplies and emergency assistance.
Darfur has witnessed a sharp escalation in drone warfare in recent months, with both the Sudanese army and the RSF increasingly relying on aerial attacks targeting military positions and civilian areas amid the ongoing conflict that erupted in April 2023.