14 July 2026 | 12:35 CAT
3-minute read

Sudan war deepens as drone attacks and crisis intensify

Escalating drone attacks in El Obeid

As the civil war continues to tear through Sudan, the country is facing an escalating humanitarian and military crisis, including ongoing drone attacks in North Kordofan’s capital city of El-Obeid.

The strategic city is currently under siege as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies targeted drone strikes to force out the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). On 13 July, the SAF officially announced the interception and shoot-down of the fourth Chinese-made FH-95 strategic electronic warfare drone.

The ongoing RSF drone strikes have directly hit vital civilian infrastructure, including water treatment stations, fuel reserves, and electricity grids. Reports from international aid groups, including the Norwegian Refugee Council and UNHCR, indicated that at least 45 civilians were killed over a three-week period last month.

“Drone attacks have damaged essential infrastructure and that including water, electricity and healthcare facilities leaving civilians with limited access to food and clean water and medical treatment,” Saeed Abdallah, a Sudanese journalist based in Johannesburg said during this week’s Africa Report.

Humanitarian agencies warn that without an immediate ceasefire and aid delivery, the city risks becoming another major humanitarian catastrophe, like the cities of El-Fasher and El-Geneina, which have both been stripped bare and left in ruins. Both these cities have witnessed ethnic killings, widespread atrocities and the use of starvation as a weapon against defenceless civilians.

In Darfur, prolonged fighting and the siege of El-Fasher have killed hundreds and devastated hospitals, while El-Geneina saw a systematic campaign of violence against the Masalit community, forcing large numbers of residents to flee to neighbouring Chad.

Death sentence for RSF leader Hemedti

The Anti-Terrorism and Crimes Against the State Court in Port Sudan—the army’s de facto capital—has sentenced RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) to death in absentia.

Hemedti, his brother and deputy Abdel Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, and 14 other senior RSF members were found guilty of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and orchestrating attacks on civilians.

The ruling stems from the June 2023 assassination of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abbakar and subsequent atrocities in the city of El-Geneina, where an estimated 15 000 civilians were killed.

This marks the first formal judicial verdict issued against the RSF top command since the war began. The court will refer the case to the Supreme Court and plans to issue international extradition warrants via Interpol. Meanwhile, the RSF-aligned Sudan Founding Alliance has dismissed the ruling as a “sham trial”

“In my view, I see this ruling as slightly symbolic and political,” Abdallah said, adding that the sentence will have an immediate impact on the conflict because “Hemedti remains beyond government reach.”

He noted that Sudan has previously handed down death sentences against rebel leaders that were ultimately overtaken by political settlements. Abdallah cited current Sovereignty Council Vice-President Malik Agar, who was sentenced to death while leading an armed movement before later becoming part of Sudan’s transitional government through a peace agreement.

“While the ruling sends a strong message about accountability, Sudan’s history suggests that the ultimate outcome of such cases is often determined by political negotiations rather than the courts alone,” he said.

Peace remains elusive

More than three years into the conflict, Sudan remains deeply divided, with neither the SAF nor the RSF able to secure a decisive military victory. The prolonged fighting has displaced millions of people, devastated infrastructure, and pushed large parts of the country towards famine.

Despite continued military gains and losses on different fronts, both sides remain locked in a costly stalemate. The fighting has also spilled across several regions, increasing fears of wider instability throughout the Horn of Africa and neighbouring countries.

Abdallah said renewed diplomatic efforts offer a glimmer of hope, with regional states and the United States discussing a fresh peace proposal. Countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have been involved in attempts to broker negotiations between the warring parties.

However, significant obstacles remain. While the RSF has publicly indicated its willingness to engage with the proposal, Abdallah questioned whether its actions on the ground reflect those commitments. At the same time, the Sudanese army continues to express reservations over key aspects of the framework.

“I don’t think there is a military solution to this conflict,” Abdallah said. “The longer the war continues, the greater the risk that Sudan’s instability will spread across the wider region.”

Humanitarian organisations continue to urge an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access, warning that without sustained international pressure and meaningful negotiations, Sudan’s humanitarian catastrophe is likely to worsen further.

Listen to the Africa Report with Saeed Abdallah on Sabaahul Muslim, hosted by Moulana Habib Bobat.