Khartoum: Eight civilians were killed and dozens injured in a drone strike on the Um Sharu area of Sodari locality in Sudan's North Kordofan state, a Sudanese rights group said Friday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the independent Emergency Lawyers group reported that a drone targeted civilians on Thursday while they were traveling in the area. This attack resulted in the deaths of eight individuals and left dozens injured, based on an initial documented toll.

The drone strike also led to the destruction of four civilian vehicles. The group added that the drone returned to the site, targeting civilians again as they tried to evacuate the wounded from the area.

Emergency Lawyers stated there was no military presence in the vicinity, nor were there any armed clashes occurring at the time of the strike. The group condemned the attack, highlighting that it would exacerbate civilian suffering and hinder the wounded from receiving necessary medical care.

They further noted that the strike constituted 'a violation of international humanitarian law' and could potentially be classified as a war crime. The group did not specify who was responsible for the attack, and there was no immediate response from the Sudanese army or the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as of 1200GMT.

Sudan's three Kordofan states-North, West, and South-have seen clashes between the army and the RSF since October 25. Since April 2023, the country has been embroiled in a war between the army and the RSF, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands and displacing approximately 13 million people, according to UN and international estimates.