Sudan conflict escalates with RSF drone strikes and major ground battles

Sudan civil war Rapid Support Forces Sudanese Armed Forces drone warfare North Kordofan

The conflict in Sudan has seen a significant escalation in drone warfare and large-scale ground assaults. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a coordinated campaign of drone strikes targeting military infrastructure, including airports in Khartoum, Atbara, and Merowe, as well as fuel storage facilities. These aerial attacks also hit civilian areas, with reports of a drone crashing into a mosque courtyard in Bahri and causing casualties in Al-Obeid, where two people were killed and six others wounded.

In North Kordofan, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied Joint Forces reported repelling a massive ground assault by the RSF in the Jabra al-Sheikh area. The attack reportedly involved between 200 and 250 combat vehicles. The SAF claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on the RSF, seizing approximately 60 vehicles and killing dozens of combatants.

Additional violence was reported in Blue Nile State, where clashes involving the RSF and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in North (SPLM-N) resulted in the deaths of at least 20 civilians. The ongoing war, which began in April 2023, continues to drive a massive humanitarian crisis, with estimates suggesting over 200,000 deaths and millions displaced.

Entities

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan · Al-Obeid · Khartoum · Mohamed Hamdan Daglo · Rapid Support Forces · Sudan · Sudanese Armed Forces

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] More than 200,000 people have been killed since the start of the war. www.geo.fr · www.newarab.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Air defenses engaged drones and shot down several of them. thesudantimes.com · information.tv5monde.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Two people were killed and six others were wounded during drone attacks in El Obeid. kelo.com · thesudantimes.com · www.africa-press.net
[○ 1 SOURCE] The conflict has caused the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises. www.newarab.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The RSF conducted drone operations targeting military infrastructure and logistics. thesudantimes.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Drones targeted SAF-controlled airports in Khartoum, Atbara, and Merowe. thesudantimes.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Sudanese Army and Joint Forces seized approximately 60 RSF vehicles during the battle. sudantribune.net
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Sudanese Army repelled drone attacks targeting western Omdurman for a second consecutive day. www.alaraby.co.uk
[● 2 SOURCES] The Sudanese Army repelled a large-scale attack by the Rapid Support Forces in the Jabra al-Sheikh area of North Kordofan. sudantribune.net
[● 2 SOURCES] The RSF attack involved between 200 and 250 combat vehicles. sudantribune.net
[○ 1 SOURCE] At least 20 civilians were killed in clashes in Qaisan, Blue Nile State, on Tuesday. www.alaraby.co.uk