At least 32 civilians, including children and women, were killed in a drone strike targeting the town of Kutum in North Darfur, according to medical sources and residents cited by Agence France-Presse.
The strike took place on Wednesday amid escalating drone attacks by both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, who have been at war since April 2023.
A local resident, Hassan Khater, said the drone struck a where a wedding celebration was being held. He confirmed participating in the burial of 32 victims. Another resident, Hussein Issa, provided a list of the dead, noting that 12 of them were children.
Witnesses reported that the strike hit the house twice around 10:00 PM, completely destroying the building. Victims were later recovered from the rubble and buried.
A medical source stated that 12 bodies, including six children, were taken to the local hospital, while 16 others—among them women and children—were injured.
The Al-Fasher Resistance Committees, which documents violations, said the strike targeted Al-Salama neighborhood near a girls’ school and blamed the Sudanese army. The army has not issued a statement, while the RSF condemned the attack and claimed the death toll exceeded 56, including 17 children.
Kutum lies about 120 km northwest of El Fasher, the state capital and one of the last major strongholds in the region.
Escalating Violence and Humanitarian Toll
The conflict has seen a surge in drone warfare across Sudan, disrupting daily life, particularly in western regions like Darfur and in Kordofan, now a major front line.
The Médecins Sans Frontières reported treating 400 people injured in drone attacks since February, including cases from areas in Darfur and eastern Chad near the Sudanese border.
The United Nations stated last week that drone strikes killed more than 500 civilians between January and mid-March, warning of their “devastating impact” in populated areas.
According to emergency coordinator Muriel Boursier, medical teams are receiving patients with severe injuries such as penetrating wounds, amputations, and fatal burns, with many dying upon arrival.
Attacks on Healthcare
Recent incidents include:
A drone strike attributed to the RSF targeting a maternity ward and operations room in White Nile State, killing 10 people.
A March 20 strike attributed to the army that destroyed El Daein Teaching Hospital, killing 70 and injuring 146.
The World Health Organization reported over 2,000 deaths and 720 injuries from 213 attacks on healthcare facilities across Sudan since the war began, with Sudan accounting for 82% of global deaths from such attacks in 2025.
Wider Crisis
The war has killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 11 million people. It has also created what the United Nations describes as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
Sudan is now effectively divided: the army controls the north, east, and central regions, while the RSF controls most of Darfur and parts of the south with allied forces.
