MALHA, North Darfur – At least 10 people have been killed in a drone strike targeting a market in the Malha area of North Darfur, according to Sudanese medical sources. The incident occurred on Saturday.
The strike adds to the escalating violence in the region, already reeling from months of conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
In a related development, a military source stated that the Sudanese army conducted airstrikes against RSF positions in the town of Burno, northwest of Kadugli in South Kordofan. These strikes reportedly inflicted casualties on the RSF following their claimed control of the town. South Kordofan has witnessed continuous clashes between the army and the RSF, who are allied with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N). These forces are reportedly besieging the major cities of Kadugli and Dilling.
The ongoing conflict, which began in April 2023, has triggered a humanitarian crisis across Sudan. Mohammed Refaat, head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) mission in Sudan, estimates that continued fighting in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan, could displace between 90,000 and 100,000 people. He also warned that approximately half a million people in El Obeid, North Kordofan, could be affected by the escalating violence.
Refaat highlighted that displaced persons are fleeing areas surrounding Babnuosa, Kadugli, and El Obeid, with those able to escape reaching White Nile State. He also confirmed that over 100,000 people have fled El Fasher and surrounding villages, while a significant number of civilians remain trapped in neighboring areas.
A critical lack of international funding has significantly reduced humanitarian operations on the ground, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation in the country. The conflict between the army and the RSF has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, the displacement of approximately 13 million people, and widespread famine since April 2023.
