More than 70 civilians were killed in a drone strike on a mosque in el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, as Sudan’s civil war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies, the United Nations has reported.
The attack, which took place during Friday morning prayers at Al-Safiya Mosque, was allegedly carried out by the RSF, according to a statement from the Sudanese army’s Sixth Infantry Division in el-Fasher. The statement condemned the strike as a “horrific crime,” adding that at least 75 people, including displaced civilians, were killed.
“The drone attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces made it one of the bloodiest days in el-Fasher since the siege began,” reported Al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan from Khartoum.
Since May 2024, the RSF has imposed a siege on el-Fasher, targeting the last major military stronghold of the Sudanese army in Darfur. In their bid to seize control, RSF forces have conducted frequent drone and artillery strikes, many of which have hit civilian infrastructure—including hospitals, schools, and displacement centers.
The UN warns that ethnic violence is rising, and that civilians are suffering the most as the conflict deepens. The ongoing war has already displaced millions and caused a devastating humanitarian crisis across Sudan.
