Sunday 11 October 2026
Night EditionRSS
ZOTPAPER

News without the noise

ZOTPAPER
World

Sudan paramilitary drone strike kills 41 at displaced camp near Ethiopian border, rights group says

UN appalled by attack on Abu Shandi camp in Blue Nile region; most casualties reported to be women and children

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
A drone attack by Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed 41 people in the Blue Nile region near the Ethiopian border, targeting a camp for displaced people, according to a Sudanese rights group. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said it was appalled by the reports and that initial accounts indicate most of the casualties were women and children.

The strike hit the Abu Shandi area on Friday, according to Emergency Lawyers, a human rights group. The area has been under sustained attack in recent weeks, the UN said, displacing thousands of civilians and exposing many more to grave harm.

The attack is the latest in a conflict between Sudan's army and paramilitary forces including the RSF that began in 2023. The war has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced more than 14 million people from their homes, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Millions are in need of medical assistance.

The army controls much of Sudan's central and eastern regions, while the RSF is headquartered in Darfur in the west and also holds areas in the south. Both sides have been accused of using drone strikes.

The RSF has previously been accused of widespread abuses in Darfur and other parts of Sudan. International mediation efforts have so far failed to end the fighting.

§

Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The attack highlights the ongoing brutalisation of civilians in Sudan's civil war, now entering its fourth year.
  • Displacement and hunger are worsening; the UN warns of famine conditions in several areas.
  • Regional stability is at risk, with spillover affecting neighbours such as Ethiopia and Chad.

Background

Sudan descended into war in April 2023 when tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces erupted into open fighting. The RSF, which grew out of the Janjaweed militias of the Darfur conflict, has been accused of ethnic cleansing and war crimes. The conflict has devastated Khartoum and other cities, destroyed infrastructure, and triggered a massive humanitarian crisis. International ceasefires have repeatedly collapsed.

Key Perspectives

Sudanese Armed Forces: The army frames the war as a fight against a rebellious militia and has tried to regain territory lost to the RSF in the early months. Rapid Support Forces: The RSF claims to be fighting a corrupt military establishment and has sought to consolidate control over resource-rich areas such as the south and parts of Darfur. Civilians and humanitarian groups: They bear the brunt of the violence, with systematic attacks on hospitals, markets, and displacement camps. Aid access is severely restricted by both sides.

What to Watch

  • Whether the RSF expands its drone campaign into other civilian areas.
  • Upcoming rounds of peace talks sponsored by the US and Saudi Arabia.
  • The UN Security Council's response, including possible sanctions on commanders from both sides.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

How we workSubscribe