Saudi Arabia accuses Sudan’s RSF of drone strike on aid convoy

September  26, 2026 (RIYADH) – Saudi Arabia has lodged a complaint with the United Nations Security Council accusing Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of launching a drone strike on a Saudi humanitarian aid shipment in western Sudan, according to a diplomatic letter.

The strike took place near the entrance of El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, Saudi U.N. Ambassador Abdulaziz Al-Wasil said in letters sent to the Security Council and the U.N. secretary-general.

The RSF has repeatedly launched drone strikes on civilian and military infrastructure in El Obeid, though the Sudanese army has largely managed to thwart ground incursions after retaking several key positions across the state.

The attack occurred around midnight on August 17 and targeted a truck carrying aid from the state-run King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief), according to the letter seen by Sudan Tribune on Saturday.

The strike destroyed 1,150 food parcels and set the trailer on fire, though no casualties were reported, the letter said.

Al-Wasil said Saudi authorities had received official confirmation from Sudan’s foreign ministry confirming the RSF’s responsibility for the attack. A local implementing partner was handling the relief under a food security initiative.

An RSF spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.

The war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has pushed swathes of the population toward famine. Around 33.7 million people in Sudan currently need humanitarian assistance, aid agencies say.

The Saudi envoy condemned the incident and what he described as widespread violations by the RSF documented by rights groups, warning against the targeting of aid workers and the obstruction of relief supplies.

Al-Wasil called on the Security Council to circulate the letter as an official document and urged greater protection for humanitarian operations in Sudan.