Port Sudan- Al-Yurae
A deadly escalation erupted Monday in southeastern Sudan, where Rapid Support Forces (RSF) drones targeted the city of Sinja in Sennar State, killing 27 people and injuring 73, according to military and health officials.
The strike, described as one of the most intense drone offensives in months, struck the 17th Infantry Division headquarters in Sinja an area located approximately 300 kilometers southeast of Khartoum during a meeting attended by senior officials from Sennar, Blue Nile, White Nile, and Al-Jazira states. Witnesses confirmed that several long-range drones hit their targets in precision attacks that shook the city.
Sennar State Health Minister Ibrahim Al-Awad confirmed that the drones were operated by the RSF, which has been waging a relentless war against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since April 2023. The media office of the White Nile State government announced that its governor survived the attack, though his chief of protocol and a bodyguard were killed.
Residents reported hearing loud explosions followed by bursts of anti-aircraft fire. Three of the attacking drones were intercepted, while others hit deep inside the city, including the military command compound. Sinja’s strategic location linking Sudan’s east and central regions makes it a crucial corridor for army supply lines running from Port Sudan toward the interior.
Simultaneous Strikes Across Conflict Zones
The Sinja drone assault unfolded alongside a parallel attack in South Kordofan State, where an RSF-operated drone struck Kurtala Market in the Six Mountains region, killing five civilians and injuring 13. According to the Sudan Doctors’ Network, all victims were civilians present at the market during the strike.
The network condemned the RSF attack, calling it a “direct and deliberate targeting of civilians” and “a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the rules of war.” It urged the United Nations and global human rights organizations to take immediate measures to protect civilians, establish humanitarian corridors, and pressure the RSF leadership to cease systematic drone attacks on population centers.
In North Darfur, the Joint Armed Movements Forces reported that 19 people were killed when RSF ground troops attacked the Jargira area. The group said it managed to repel the offensive after heavy clashes.
Meanwhile, the Sudanese Armed Forces announced that during the past 72 hours, it had destroyed 56 RSF combat vehicles and killed or wounded hundreds of fighters in combined air and ground operations across Darfur, Kordofan, and Blue Nile States. In a broader counteroffensive, the army said it was focusing on degrading the RSF’s aerial and ground capabilities, which have recently expanded with the use of long-range drones.
The escalation came a day after the army-backed government declared its intention to return to Khartoum after nearly three years of operating from Port Sudan. The move, analysts say, was meant to symbolize confidence in the army’s gradual reassertion of control over parts of the capital and surrounding areas.
However, the RSF goals appear aimed at undermining that narrative. By attacking Sennar a region that had enjoyed relative calm since late 2024 after being retaken from RSF control—the paramilitary group has shown its capacity to strike deep into government-held territories, disrupting potential recovery and reconstruction efforts.
In previous months, Sennar had become a symbol of tentative recovery. Thousands of displaced residents returned, markets reopened, and local administrations resumed civil services. With this week’s airstrike, that fragile stability now appears to be rapidly eroding.
Humanitarian Fallout and Regional Displacement
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over 200,000 displaced people returned to Sennar State during 2025. Yet the agency warned that the returns remain “fragile and unsustainable” in the face of persistent insecurity, infrastructure collapse, and renewed violence.
Across Sudan, the humanitarian situation is catastrophic. Since April 2023, the war between the SAF and RSF has killed tens of thousands, displaced more than 11 million people, and created what the United Nations describes as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The assault on Sinja underscores the continuing spread of violence into relatively stable regions previously spared the heaviest fighting.
In South Kordofan, prolonged sieges of civilian areas have worsened the crisis, with humanitarian agencies warning of looming famine conditions affecting hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile, the steady flow of refugees into neighboring Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia has intensified, putting the region’s stability under significant strain.
Evolving Control and Military Geography
The war has fragmented Sudan into competing spheres of influence. The Sudanese Armed Forces and the transitional government maintain control over northern, central, and eastern Sudan, including Port Sudan, the current seat of power, and parts of Khartoum and North Darfur.
The Rapid Support Forces and allied militias dominate nearly two-thirds of Darfur and large parts of Kordofan, areas rich in oil, gold, and fertile agricultural land. With support from local tribal networks, the RSF continues to operate with significant territorial reach, now demonstrating a growing drone warfare capability previously unseen in the conflict.
Sudan’s overall territory covers roughly 1.8 million square kilometers, and while Darfur represents about one-fifth of the country’s landmass, the majority of its 50 million citizens reside in army-controlled regions. Despite limited reconstruction efforts and the return of approximately 1.2 million people to Khartoum and other recaptured zones, the renewed RSF air campaign threatens to reverse these fragile gains.
A War Without Boundaries or Restraints
International observers describe Sudan’s war as a conflict that has obliterated urban centers, displaced entire communities, and collapsed state institutions. Both warring sides face accusations of atrocities, including targeted killings, sexual violence, and obstruction of humanitarian aid.
The United Nations and major humanitarian organizations repeatedly warn that mass starvation could soon devastate parts of Kordofan and Darfur, where blockades and continuous fighting have severed supply routes for nearly two years.
The Sinja attack represents a stark reminder that, despite diplomatic attempts at ceasefire talks, neither side has shown willingness to de-escalate. Instead, the introduction of advanced drones into RSF operations may mark a new phase in the war one that could reshape the military balance and worsen civilian suffering.
Broader Implications for Regional and International Security
The continuing conflict threatens not only Sudan’s territorial integrity but also regional stability across the Horn of Africa and the Sahel. The growing flow of refugees, the proliferation of weapons, and potential cross-border militancy pose mounting concerns to neighboring governments and international partners.
Analysts suggest that ending the war will require robust multilateral engagement, not limited to humanitarian relief but extending to coordinated diplomatic and security strategies. The African Union and United Nations, however, remain deeply constrained by the lack of unified mediation pressure.
As Sudan edges closer to full fragmentation, the Sinja drone strike stands as a stark signal of how far the conflict has evolved—from a political power struggle into a multi-front, technologically escalating war—with devastating consequences for an already exhausted population.
