RSF drones attack Sudan’s El Obeid, target government buildings

January 30, 2026 (EL OBEID, North Kordofan) – The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched drone attacks on the city of El Obeid on Friday, targeting government buildings, including the Legislative Council headquarters and a police facility, military sources and witnesses said.

There was no immediate word on casualties, and the Sudanese army did not immediately comment. The RSF did not claim responsibility.

Eyewitnesses told Sudan Tribune that about 20 drones struck the North Kordofan state capital on Friday morning, an unusual timing as such attacks typically occur overnight.

Anti-aircraft units engaged the drones for approximately 90 minutes as they targeted locations in the south and east of the city, military sources said. Several drones were shot down, they added.

El Obeid, the largest city in the Kordofan region, houses the army’s 5th Infantry Division and serves as a key operational hub for military movements toward RSF positions in Kordofan and Darfur.

The RSF maintains positions to the north, south, and west of the city, which borders Khartoum, White Nile and Northern states.