Eight civilians were killed and dozens wounded in a drone strike in Sudan’s North Kordofan state, a rights group said on Friday, as fighting between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to intensify across the Kordofan region.
The independent Emergency Lawyers group said in a statement that a drone struck civilians travelling through the Um Sharu area of Sodari locality on Thursday, killing eight people and injuring dozens.
The strike also destroyed four civilian vehicles, the group said, adding that the drone returned and struck again as civilians attempted to evacuate the wounded.
Emergency Lawyers said there was no military presence in the area and no armed clashes were taking place when the strike occurred.
The group condemned the attack, saying it would worsen the suffering of civilians and further restrict access to medical care for the wounded.
It described the strike as a “violation of international humanitarian law” that could amount to a war crime.
Emergency Lawyers did not identify those responsible for the attack. There was no immediate comment from the Sudanese army or the RSF.
Sudan’s three Kordofan states, North, South and West Kordofan, have become a major front in the war between the army and the RSF, with fighting and drone attacks reported in several areas.
Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the army and the RSF. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced around 13 million, according to U.N. and international estimates.
Drone warfare has become a defining feature of the conflict, with both sides using drones to strike military and civilian targets. The United Nations has said drone strikes were responsible for 80% of civilian deaths recorded during the first four months of 2026.
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