An Nuhud:The UN expressed serious concern after reports emerged of drone strikes that killed at least 17 civilians, including women and children, in Sudan's West Kordofan state. The strikes reportedly targeted areas sheltering displaced families.
According to Anadolu Agency, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan reported that a drone strike hit a building in An Nuhud on October 9, killing at least 12 civilians, including women and children, and injuring eight others. Another drone strike on the same day in Ghubaish town reportedly killed five civilians, including three children, in a residential area hosting displaced families.
OCHA highlighted that these victims were already displaced by conflict and faced renewed violence in supposed safe havens. The office emphasized that the increasing frequency of drone strikes across Sudan is a cause for deep concern, as they exacerbate the dangers faced by civilians, particularly displaced families.
The UN office called for adherence to international humanitarian law, stressing the need for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. It underscored the necessity for individuals fleeing violence to find safety without encountering further threats.
The statement from the UN did not specify the parties responsible for the drone strikes.
The US also condemned the drone strikes, reportedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Massad Boulos, US Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, expressed this condemnation on social media, emphasizing the need for peace in Sudan and the importance of action from the UN Security Council to prevent external military support from entering the country.
Fighting has been ongoing in Sudan's North, West, and South Kordofan states between the army and the RSF since October 2025. The war, which has been raging since April 2023, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of approximately 13 million people, according to estimates from the UN and other international bodies.