RSF drone attack kills two at displacement shelter in Sudan’s El Obeid, authorities say

September 25, 2026 (EL OBEID, Sudan) – A drone attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed two civilians and wounded 20 others on Friday, hitting a displacement shelter and civilian infrastructure in the central Sudanese city of El Obeid, state authorities said.

The strike marked the second aerial bombardment within a week targeting El Obeid, the strategically vital capital of North Kordofan state.

In a statement, the North Kordofan state government and security committee said loitering munitions struck a shelter housing families displaced by earlier fighting, as well as civilian service sites.

“The gravity of this crime lies in targeting displaced people who sought refuge in shelter centres after fleeing abuses in their home areas,” the statement said, calling the assault a violation of international humanitarian law.

The RSF could not be reached immediately for comment on the strike, and Sudan Tribune could not independently verify the casualty numbers.

Local residents and sources said the drones hit sites in northern and central El Obeid, including a makeshift shelter near the Police Hospital, a fuel station, a civilian passenger bus, and a home in the city’s northern Arafat district.

El Obeid has been a focal point of fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF, with both sides intensifying the use of attack drones in built-up urban centres across the country.

The war between the regular military and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023 over a disputed plan to merge their ranks, has killed tens of thousands, displaced more than 10 million people, and triggered widespread famine conditions.