What's happened
Drone strikes in El-Obeid have killed dozens and wounded many across several districts, targeting markets, cemeteries and civilian transport. Rights groups say the attacks reflect a pattern of civilian targeting in Sudan’s North Kordofan state, with the death toll rising as the city remains under drone assault in the ongoing conflict between the army and RSF.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- The data show a sustained, high-casualty drone campaign focused on civilian targets in El-Obeid and surrounding areas. Emergency Lawyers and local health officials are documenting a rising toll, indicating a deteriorating humanitarian situation.
- What’s driving attention now is the convergence of attacks on markets, funerals and transport routes, which disrupt daily life and aid delivery. This suggests a strategic emphasis on civilian infrastructure rather than military targets.
- Forecast: If the pattern continues, expect intensified humanitarian appeals and calls for a ceasefire or truce, with international actors pressuring for humanitarian corridors and accountability for attacks on civilians.
- Readers should understand that drone warfare is reshaping civilian risk profiles and humanitarian access across key nodes in North Kordofan and Darfur regions.
How we got here
Sudan’s war, which began in 2023, has seen drone warfare play a central role in the fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. North Kordofan, including El-Obeid, has faced repeated drone strikes, with civilians bearing the heaviest toll as humanitarian access shrinks and displaced people seek safety amid ongoing clashes.
Our analysis
Emergency Lawyers Group; Al Jazeera; The New Arab; AP News; All Africa; UN reports cited across sources.
Go deeper
- What is the latest casualty toll in El-Obeid today?
- Are humanitarian groups able to reach those in need in North Kordofan?
- Which parties are controlling El-Obeid and its outskirts right now?
More on these topics
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Sudan - Country in North Africa
Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in North-East Africa. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, Libya to the northwest, Chad to the west, the Central African Republic to the southwest, South Sudan to the south, Ethiopia to the southe
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Sudanese Armed Forces - Military
The Sudanese Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of the Sudan. During the 39-month transition to democracy that started in September 2019, the August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration defines the Supreme Commander of the Sudanese Arme
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United Nations - Intergovernmental organization
The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
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North Kordofan - State of Sudan
North Kordofan is one of the 18 wilayat or states of Sudan. It has an area of 185,302 km² and an estimated population of 2,920,890. El-Obeid is the capital of the state. North Kordofan is generally arid and desert.
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Al-Ubayyid - City and capital of North Kurdufan, Sudan
El-Obeid (Arabic: الأبيض, al-ʾAbyaḍ, lit. "the White"), also romanized as Al-Ubayyid, is the capital of the state of North Kurdufan, in Sudan.