A drone strike at the southern entrance of Al-Rahad killed at least 24 displaced civilians on Saturday as they arrived from South Kordofan, according to authorities in North Kordofan state, who blamed the attack on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
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Officials said the vehicle was carrying people fleeing the Dubeiker area when it was hit, leaving dozens dead or wounded. Among the victims were women, children, and elderly passengers, the state government said.
In a statement, the North Kordofan government “strongly condemns, in the harshest terms, the horrific terrorist crime committed by the RSF militia,” calling the incident a deliberate strike on a civilian transport vehicle headed into the city.
“The attack resulted in the martyrdom of 24 unarmed civilians, including women, children, and elderly people, in addition to the injury of a large number of civilians,” the statement said.
International law invoked
Authorities described the episode as a serious breach of international humanitarian law, citing protections afforded to noncombatants and displaced people.
The Sudan Doctors Network issued a separate condemnation, labeling the strike “a new massacre” in North Kordofan. The group said the victims were traveling from South Kordofan and were targeted as they reached Al-Rahad.
According to the network, eight of those killed were children, including two infants. It said the injured were brought into Al-Rahad for treatment despite what it described as dire medical and humanitarian conditions and a severe lack of supplies.
Targeting civilians in flight from conflict, along with the vehicles transporting them, constitutes “a full-fledged war crime and a violation of all humanitarian and international laws,” the network said. It accused the RSF of systematic attacks on civilians and operating with impunity.
The organization called on international bodies and human rights groups to act quickly to protect vulnerable populations, ensure safe routes for displacement, and allow humanitarian assistance to reach affected areas without obstruction.