At least three aid workers were killed, and four otherswere wounded when a humanitarian convoy came under attack by a drone operated by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in South Kordofan, according to medical and humanitarian sources.
A Targeted Strike on Lifesaving Assistance
The convoy—comprised of trucks transporting food and essential humanitarian supplies—was travelling through the Kartala area en route to the conflict-stricken cities of Kadugli and Dilling when it was struck. The Sudan Doctors Network (SDN), which monitors violence across the country, condemned the attack as a deliberate assault on humanitarian workers and a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
This incident marks the second attack on aid operations in less than a month, following the shelling of a United Nations convoy in Al-Rahad. Humanitarian groups warn that such repeated strikes are severely undermining relief efforts in a region already grappling with acute food insecurity and widespread displacement.
Escalating Violence Amid a Protracted Civil War
Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal civil war since April 2023, pitting the RSF against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The conflict has killed thousands and displaced millions, with Kordofan emerging as one of the most fiercely contested regions. After losing ground in Khartoum, the RSF has intensified operations in Kordofan and North Darfur, where reports of mass atrocities have prompted international scrutiny.
The latest drone strike comes just weeks after the SAF claimed to have broken a nearly two-year RSF siege on Dilling. However, humanitarian observers say the situation remains volatile, with both Kadugli and Dilling still effectively encircled and subject to frequent aerial attacks.
Humanitarian Operations Under Threat
Aid organizations warn that the targeting of convoys is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. More than two-thirds of Sudan’s population now requires assistance, and famine conditions have been confirmed in several regions. The SDN has urged the international community, the United Nations, and human rights organizations to apply urgent pressure on RSF leadership to halt attacks on aid routes and ensure safe humanitarian corridors.
Al Jazeera and other international outlets report that they have been unable to independently verify the latest attack due to restricted access and ongoing insecurity, a challenge that continues to hamper accurate reporting and humanitarian response efforts.
A Call for Accountability
Humanitarian groups and rights organizations are calling for independent investigations into the attack and for those responsible to be held accountable. As drone warfare becomes increasingly common in Sudan’s conflict zones, civilians and aid workers remain at heightened risk.
The deaths of the three aid workers underscore the perilous conditions under which humanitarian teams operate and highlight the urgent need for renewed international engagement to protect civilians and safeguard relief operations in Sudan’s war-torn regions.
