Drone strike hits funeral procession in Sudan’s war zone

Sat Jun 13 2026 13:47:22 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A drone attack on a cemetery funeral in El‑Obeid kills four and sparks fears of escalating violence in Sudan’s civil war.

A paramilitary group’s drone struck a funeral procession in El‑Obeid, Sudan, killing at least four people and injuring others. The attack is part of a series of drones launched on Wednesday evening, which have claimed dozens of lives. Broader fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces has pushed thousands into displacement and turned the country into a major humanitarian emergency, with over 11 million people forced to leave homes and 28 million facing food shortages.

Drone strike hits funeral procession in Sudan’s war zone

A drone fired by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces struck a funeral procession at a cemetery in the city of El‑Obeid, killing at least four people and injuring several others, according to rights groups Sudan Doctors Network and Emergency Lawyers.

The attack, part of a wave of drones that began on Wednesday evening, is one of many incidents that have led to a growing death toll of more than 23 people in the city. Emergency Lawyers said that the drones have also struck homes in residential areas, the airport district and near an army base, killing an additional thirteen civilians.

El‑Obeid, controlled by the army, sits at the heart of Sudan’s three‑year civil war that erupted after a split over the country’s future. The fighting has triggered the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, with over 11 million displaced and 28 million suffering acute hunger.

The city’s strategic position between RSF‑controlled west and army‑controlled east makes it a key front line, as control of Kordofan region could mean control over the country’s oil reserves and its broader territory.

Witnesses say the drone strike is part of a systematic targeting campaign against civilians, with several attacks reported over days, including the death of a food‑trucks driver when his lorry was hit on Thursday.