A suspected drone attack by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed at least 11 people at a displacement camp in River Nile state, according to local authorities.
The local governor stated that the attack also knocked out a nearby power station for the fourth time since the war between the RSF and the Sudanese army began two years ago.
The attack marks a deadly escalation in the ongoing conflict, leaving 23 others injured, including at least nine children, according to medical officials. Witnesses described the horrific scene, with one survivor, Haleema, sharing the tragic loss of her family members, including two young children.
The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), has been accused of targeting power infrastructure in Sudanese army-controlled areas. However, the group denies involvement in drone attacks.
The assault struck a makeshift camp located about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the Atbara power station, just outside the town of al-Damer. The camp, home to around 180 families who had fled the violence in Khartoum, was living in abandoned buildings and tents with limited humanitarian aid.
Witnesses described the terror as the drones struck, with one survivor, Mawaheb Mohamed, recalling the horrific aftermath: “There were corpses, people had been dismembered, and people were in the hospital.”
In the aftermath of the attack, authorities were seen putting out fires and assisting displaced residents, who were being evacuated to an unknown location.
This attack comes amid a broader collapse of Sudan’s power grid, with drone and missile strikes causing widespread blackouts, worsening the already dire humanitarian situation. The conflict, which began in April 2023, has led to one of the world’s largest displacement crises. According to the United Nations, over 12.4 million people have been displaced, with 3.3 million fleeing to neighboring countries.
