At least 60 people have been killed in a devastating drone attack on a refugee center in El-Fashir, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur region. The assault was carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a rebel paramilitary group. The victims include women, children, and the elderly.
According to Turkey’s state news agency Anadolu, a local relief committee confirmed the attack on Saturday and directly blamed the RSF for the strike.
The committee stated that two drones and several incendiary bombs were deployed on the Dar Al-Arkam refugee center, igniting the entire facility within moments and creating a catastrophic humanitarian scene. The statement described, “After the drone strike on Dar Al-Arkam School, bodies were scattered across the site — a scene beyond description.”
No response has yet come from the RSF. However, local defense committees reported that many bodies remain trapped under the rubble, and some people burned alive inside the center.
The Doctors Network, a Sudanese medical organization, reported that among the dead were 17 children and 22 women. Additionally, 21 people were injured, many of whom are in critical condition.
Since May 2024, the RSF has blockaded El-Fashir city, severely restricting humanitarian access. Despite repeated international calls to lift the blockade, the restrictions remain in place, exacerbating the suffering in one of the region’s main relief hubs.
It is worth noting that since April 2023, clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF have resulted in around 20,000 deaths and displaced approximately 1.5 million people. A joint study by several U.S. universities estimates that the actual death toll may exceed 130,000.
The relief committee condemned the attack, stating, “Those who came seeking safety have now faced a fiery death in the very refuge they trusted.”
Sources: Anadolu Agency, local Sudanese relief committees, Doctors Network.