Full Breakdown
Sudanese War Escalates: Drone Strikes Hit Civilians in Nyala and Blue Nile
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Recent Drone Attacks on Civilian Sites
In early October 2026, two high-profile drone strikes deepened the humanitarian toll of Sudan’s civil war.
- The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) countered that a drone attack hit a busy livestock market, killing 30 civilians, including 17 women and five children.
- Abu Shandi shelter, Blue Nile State – On the morning of October 9, a drone dropped an explosive shell into a river-bed gold-mining site near the Abu Shandi displacement camp. The blast killed 32 displaced people (26 women, four children, two elderly) and wounded 43, according to Dr. Mustafa Jabrallah, acting health minister of Blue Nile State.
Both incidents illustrate the growing use of drones by the warring parties and the resulting civilian casualties.
Background & Context
The conflict erupted in April 2023 after a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). The war has spread across Sudan, prompting the United Nations to label it the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Over four years, at least 150,000 people have been killed and roughly 14 million displaced, with famine conditions reported across the country.
Data & Statistics
- Nyala market strike – RSF reports 30 civilian deaths (including women and children).
- Abu Shandi strike – 32 civilians killed, 43 wounded (Blue Nile health ministry).
- Sheikhan dormitory strike in Kordofan (Sept 30) – 5 killed, 26 wounded (local responders).
- UN figures: more than 1,100 people killed by drone strikes in the first five months of 2026.
Official Statements & Responses
- RSF coalition – Denied responsibility for the Abu Shandi strike, calling accusations “fabricated and booby-trapped statements.”
- United Nations spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric – Condemned the “horrifying reports” of attacks on civilians and called for accountability.
- The network labeled drone attacks on civilian sites as war crimes.
- International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) – Expressed sorrow over the death of volunteer Badr Al-Din Omar Musa Ibrahim, killed on October 13 during an RSF-linked hospital attack, and urged protection for humanitarian workers.
Criticism & Opposition
Humanitarian organisations and UN officials have repeatedly warned that drone strikes on civilian gatherings violate international humanitarian law. Local aid workers report that the lack of medical supplies and protective equipment exacerbates the impact of these strikes on already vulnerable populations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “After the shell fell, dozens went down, and whoever could flee fled,” — Ahmed Ragab
- “Targets included a shelter at the Land Port, an events hall, the Sports City complex and Sheikan Dormitory. SAF air defenses intercepted drones on two of the days,” — Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED)