Drone attacks in Sudan kill more than 160, according to local reports
Khartoum, previously considered relatively safe, was also hit by attacks.
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More than 160 people have been killed in a wave of drone attacks in Sudan, according to medical staff and human rights organisations. Victims, including children, were also reported in the capital Khartoum, NOS reports, citing local sources.
The attacks took place at several locations in Sudan in recent days. According to the available reporting, most victims were outside Khartoum, but the capital was also hit. Compared with other front-line areas, Khartoum was considered relatively safe.
The figures come from medical staff and human rights organisations. Independent verification is difficult in Sudan because communications links regularly fail and many areas are inaccessible to journalists. The reported death toll should therefore be read as an estimate cited in reports.
According to the reports, three children were killed in an attack in Khartoum. We are not adopting further details about the circumstances. The attack has been attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, but responsibility has not been independently established in the source consulted.
Sudan has been gripped by a power struggle between the RSF and the regular army since April 2023. Both sides possess heavy weapons and have accused each other of attacks on civilians. International mediation has so far failed to end the violence.
The development matters because drone attacks could spread the conflict further into urban areas that had previously been less directly involved in the front lines. For civilians, that means fewer opportunities to find a safe place.
Aid organisations are operating in difficult conditions. Hospitals are facing shortages and many people are fleeing. A new high death toll could increase the humanitarian pressure, but the scale of the consequences has not yet been fully mapped.
Without independent access to the affected areas, it remains unclear exactly which attacks were carried out, how many victims were counted twice and which party was responsible. New statements from the Sudanese authorities, the RSF or international organisations could still alter the picture.
Also show the region and a close-up
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Sudan has been involved in an armed conflict since 2023.
- There are new reports of many deaths caused by drone attacks.
- Khartoum was also hit, according to local sources.
- The exact figures and responsibilities remain uncertain.
Left
Arguments The protection of civilians and access to humanitarian aid must come first. International pressure should focus on a ceasefire and on halting arms deliveries to the warring parties.
Values Human rights, humanitarian aid and the protection of civilians.
Consequences Without international action, the war risks escalating further and the refugee crisis will grow.
Centre
Arguments Reliable information and diplomatic channels are needed before international actors take new military steps. At the same time, humanitarian aid must continue, even if the responsible party has not yet been established.
Values Verification, diplomacy and the protection of the international legal order.
Consequences A cautious approach prevents wrongful escalation, but may appear slow in the face of acute need.
Right
Arguments Armed groups that attack civilians must be deterred and held responsible. That may require support for regional partners and targeted sanctions, alongside aid for people fleeing.
Values Security, deterrence and accountability.
Consequences Stronger pressure could raise the costs for the warring parties, but could also trigger retaliation and further instability.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved with corrections · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The reported death toll and the attack in Khartoum are presented as information from local sources, not as independently established facts. The limited source base prevents a fully approved assessment.
- uncertain More than 160 people were killed in drone attacks in Sudan. — Reported by medical staff and human rights organisations through a NOS summary. source
- uncertain Khartoum was also hit, and three children were killed there. — These details appear in the same source, but could not be independently confirmed. source
1 correction(s) applied
- Was: RSF drone attacks killed 160 people.Now: According to medical staff and human rights organisations, more than 160 people were killed in drone attacks; the circumstances and responsibility have not been independently established. (The source base is limited and responsibility has not been fully verified.)
Editor's note
The available source confirms the reported figures and the attribution to local sources, but does not provide full independent verification. The status is therefore insufficient_sources.Sources
- 160 doden door droneaanvallen in Sudan, ook in relatief veilig Khartoem — Nieuwskoerier.nl, op basis van NOS
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „sudan khartoem”
- de Volkskrant — „sudan khartoem”
- RTL Nieuws — „sudan khartoem”