Dilling: Two civilians lost their lives in a drone strike executed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Dilling, a city within Sudan’s South Kordofan region, as reported by the Sudan Doctors Network.

According to Anadolu Agency, the network disclosed that the drone operation was conducted by the RSF in conjunction with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), targeting the Fath al-Rahman neighborhood. The strike resulted in the deaths of a woman and a man, while several other civilians sustained injuries, though the exact number remains unspecified.

The network labeled the attack a breach of international appeals to safeguard civilians and denounced what it termed as the ‘deliberate targeting of noncombatants.’ Responsibility for the incident was placed on both the RSF and SPLM-N. Furthermore, the network called on the international community, the US, and human rights organizations to exert pressure on these groups to lift the siege on Dilling, cease civilian attacks, enable unimpeded humanitarian assistance, and ensure accountability for violations.

At the time of publication, neither the RSF nor the SPLM-N had issued a comment on the report. Sudanese authorities, along with local and regional entities, have previously accused both factions of civilian abuses.

Dilling has been under siege by the RSF and SPLM-N since the initial stages of the conflict, which erupted over two years ago, suffering recurrent artillery shelling and drone strikes. Recent weeks have seen an escalation in fighting across the three Kordofan states, displacing tens of thousands of civilians.

Of Sudan’s 18 states, the RSF maintains control over all five states in the western Darfur region, except for parts of North Darfur still under army control. The army retains dominance over most areas in the remaining 13 states across the south, north, east, and center of the country, inclusive of the capital, Khartoum.

The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF, initiated in April 2023, has resulted in thousands of fatalities and the displacement of millions.