▲ Displaced people in the Sudanese civil war
The civil war in Sudan, which has been ongoing for four years between government forces and rebels, has recently seen an intensification of drone warfare.
Citing local human rights groups, AFP reported on June 11 (local time) that 23 civilians were killed in drone attacks within a single day.
The Emergency Lawyers group, which has been investigating human rights abuses during the civil war, stated that drone strikes, which continued from the evening of June 10 through June 11 in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State and one of the major battlegrounds, targeted residential areas and food transport trucks, resulting in 23 deaths and 19 injuries.
According to the group, the first airstrike killed 5 civilians and injured 12. A subsequent attack targeted residents who had gathered at a cemetery for the victims' funerals, killing 4 more and injuring 7.
Following this, additional drone attacks occurred around damaged houses, killing 13 civilians. In the early hours of June 11, a truck carrying food was also attacked on the southern access road to El Obeid, resulting in the death of the driver.
The Emergency Lawyers group claimed that the attacks were carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group.
The RSF has not yet released a statement regarding these claims.
El Obeid is located on a transport route connecting the Darfur region, which is controlled by the RSF, to the eastern part of the country, which is under the control of government forces. The RSF has been partially besieging the area for the past several months.
Sudan has experienced frequent civil wars and political turmoil since gaining independence from Britain in 1956.
In April 2023, armed clashes between government forces and the paramilitary RSF escalated into a full-scale civil war that continues to this day.
It is estimated that over 40,000 people have been killed in the fighting alone, and when including deaths from famine and disease caused by the war, the total death toll is estimated at 150,000.
The number of displaced persons has reached 12 million.
In particular, the nature of the war has shifted toward drone warfare this year, with AFP reporting that at least 880 civilians were killed by drone attacks between January and April alone.
The United Nations and international relief organizations have described the civil war in Sudan as the "worst humanitarian crisis" of this century.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.