5 civilians killed by RSF militia drone strike in El-Obeid, Sudan

A drone strike attributed to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed five civilians and wounded 47 others in the city of El Obeid (Al-Abyad), the capital of North Kordofan state, on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, according to a medical source speaking to Al Jazeera.

The account @sudan_war reported the casualty figures on Thursday morning, citing the medical source. An earlier post from the same account stated that RSF drones had targeted a site housing displaced people (a “headquarters for the displaced” or IDP shelter) in the city, causing deaths and injuries among civilians.

El Obeid has faced repeated drone attacks in recent months amid the wider Sudanese civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. The city, a strategic hub held by the army, has seen strikes on residential areas, educational facilities, sports sites, fuel stations, and displacement shelters, contributing to civilian casualties, panic, and disruption of services. Earlier incidents in September 2026 included strikes that killed two people and injured around 20 others, including attacks on or near IDP shelters and other civilian infrastructure.

The broader conflict, which began in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. The United Nations has previously documented high civilian death tolls from drone attacks by both sides, with more than 1,000 civilians killed by drones in the first half of 2026 alone. North Kordofan remains a major frontline, with intensified RSF drone activity reported against government-held towns.

No immediate comment from the RSF on this specific strike was available in initial reports. Local authorities and medical networks have repeatedly condemned such attacks on civilian areas as violations of international humanitarian law.