Drone attack on funeral procession in El Obeid
In a stark reminder of the conflict’s toll, a drone struck a funeral procession at a cemetery in the Sudanese city of El Obeid, killing at least four people and leaving dozens wounded. The casualties were identified by two rights‑based organisations, the Sudan Doctors Network and Emergency Lawyers, which pointed the attack at the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has not yet issued a response.
The drone strike is part of a series of aerial assaults that began on Wednesday evening, with the two groups reporting that at least 23 people have died across the city in all attacks so far. Other strikes hit residential areas, an airport district, and sites around an army base, killing thirteen civilians and injuring many more.
El Obeid is currently under Sudanese army control and has quickly become one of the war’s most contested locations. The city sits in the oil‑rich Kordofan region, a strategic crossroads that the army and RSF vie for. Analysts note that whoever controls Kordofan commands substantial access to the country’s oil reserves and a significant share of national influence.
The civil war, which erupted after a rift between the army and RSF over the country’s future direction, has spiraled into the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than 11 million people have been forced from their homes, and 28 million face acute hunger.
Photo: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Civilian toll and further attacks
Emergency Lawyers reported that additional drone strikes hit homes near a residential neighbourhood, the airport district, and surrounding the army base, killing five civilians in earlier attacks. An incident involving a lorry transporting food to the city saw its driver killed when the vehicle was struck.
These attacks have left residents describing scenes where houses collapsed onto occupants, with witnesses saying, “It is tragic… for no one could have survived.” The repeated targeting of civilian areas signals a systematic strategy of overwhelming the population with violence.
Context of the conflict
El Obeid’s importance lies in its position between RSF‑controlled western areas and army‑controlled eastern zones. The city’s geographical advantage means control over it gives leverage over Jordan’s major oil fields, influencing not only the economy but also political dominance across the country.
With the human cost escalating, commentators urge a fresh assessment of the conflict dynamics, stressing the need for an international mediation that prioritises protecting civilians and addressing the oil‑security nexus.
