Sudan army accused of drone strike on Zalingei displaced camp
April 27 2026 (ZALINGEI) – The General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur accused the Sudanese army on Monday of targeting a crowded camp in Zalingei, Central Darfur, with a drone strike that injured at least 15 people.
The strike on the camp is part of an intensified campaign by the Sudanese army drones in the region. Over the past few days, aerial operations have frequently targeted numerous sites across the five Darfur states currently under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Political forces and armed movements allied with the RSF accuse the army of striking civilian targets. However, the Sudanese Armed Forces maintain that these raids target RSF positions, including weapon and ammunition depots, fuel stores, and drone hangars, as part of a strategy to disable the RSF’s offensive and defensive capabilities.
Adam Rejal, the spokesperson for the Displaced Persons Coordination, stated that a drone strike attributed to the Sudanese army hit Square 4 of the Hamidiya camp in Zalingei on Monday morning. The attack resulted in varying injuries to 15 displaced persons who were subsequently transported to Zalingei Hospital.
The statement noted that the attack destroyed several homes within the camp, causing widespread panic among women and children. During the early months of the conflict that began on April 15 2023, the RSF had previously forced camp residents to flee due to extensive violations committed against the displaced population.
This latest incident follows a series of drone-related escalations in the region.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) recently condemned a drone attack on April 24 that targeted an aid truck in North Darfur. The truck was transporting emergency shelter kits to Tawila, where over 700,000 displaced people are currently seeking safety.
The UNHCR expressed deep concern over the sharp rise in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Sudan since the start of 2026, noting that such strikes have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. The agency described the recurrent attacks on aid convoys and facilities as “abhorrent,” emphasizing that they leave thousands of families in desperate conditions without essential supplies.
The Displaced Persons Coordination argued that the army’s actions represent a grave violation of international humanitarian law and amount to war crimes. It warned that targeting humanitarian infrastructure poses a direct threat to the nearly 9 million internally displaced people and 862,000 refugees currently across Sudan.
The statement called upon the United Nations and the African Union to take urgent action to protect civilians, ensure the delivery of aid, and launch an independent international investigation to hold those responsible accountable.