Drone Strike Kills 41 Displaced People Near Ethiopian Border, Rights Group Says
The United Nations condemned the attack, which reportedly killed women and children, and called for accountability.
A drone strike attributed to Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed 41 displaced people in the Abu Shandi area of Blue Nile province, near the border with Ethiopia, according to the rights group Emergency Lawyers.
The attack occurred Friday and among the casualties were eight children and many women, the group reported.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs expressed dismay over the reported strike, which also wounded dozens. Denise Brown, the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, stated that condemning the killings is essential, but accountability for the "flagrant disregard for international humanitarian law" is also necessary. She added that "as each day goes by in this war, the world continues to accept the suffering of the people of Sudan."
A spokesperson for the RSF did not respond to a request for comment.
The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, escalating from tensions between the Sudanese military and the RSF. The fighting initially erupted in the capital, Khartoum, and has since spread across the country.
Conflict monitor ACLED estimates that at least 150,000 people have been killed in the war, although aid organizations suggest the actual figure is likely higher. The United Nations reports that over 12.4 million people have been displaced, creating what aid groups describe as the world's largest humanitarian crisis. This year, 33.7 million people in Sudan, including 17.3 million children, require urgent assistance, and an estimated 825,000 children are facing severe acute malnutrition.