KHARTOUM, Sudan- Intensified drone attacks along Sudan’s shifting front lines have caused mass civilian casualties in recent weeks, as the epicentre of the country’s civil war moves into the south-central Kordofan region.
SUMMARY
- Drone strikes have killed dozens of civilians in North and West Kordofan.
- The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and RSF is intensifying.
- Kordofan is emerging as the strategic battleground in Sudan’s nearly three-year war.
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has become one of Africa’s deadliest wars for civilians.
Now, near-daily drone strikes are reshaping the battlefield.
Civilians in the Crossfire
Markets, health facilities, aid convoys and residential neighbourhoods across Greater Kordofan have been struck in recent weeks, according to humanitarian agencies.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk condemned the attacks, calling for urgent protection of civilians.
“The continued attacks by all parties on civilian objects must stop,” he said after reports that more than 50 civilians were killed over two days in separate drone strikes in North and West Kordofan.
Local monitors blamed some of the recent strikes on the Sudanese military, but both sides have been accused of targeting civilian infrastructure.
Why Kordofan Matters
Greater Kordofan, comprising three states, links the RSF-controlled Darfur region to the capital Khartoum, now under army control.
The war, which erupted in April 2023 following a power struggle between rival military leaders, has increasingly pivoted toward this strategic corridor rich in oil and gold.
After consolidating its hold on Darfur — including the capture of el-Fasher — the RSF sought to strengthen its position in Kordofan to anchor a parallel administration it established in western Sudan.
The RSF allied itself with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), gaining access to fighters and territory in South Kordofan.
But in recent weeks, the SAF has broken a two-year siege of Kadugli and Dilling, regaining ground and escalating bombardments of RSF positions.
A Drone War Escalates
Drones have become central to both sides’ military strategies.
The RSF is widely reported to deploy Chinese-made CH-95 drones, allegedly supplied by the United Arab Emirates — claims the UAE denies.
Sudan’s military uses drones manufactured by Baykar, including advanced Akinci combat models. Turkey says it does not provide direct support to the SAF.
Earlier this month, Sudanese army spokesperson Brig Gen Asim Awad said the military had destroyed RSF drones and air defence systems in Kordofan and Darfur.
Turkish media reported that an Akinci drone destroyed a Chinese-made FK-2000 air defence system on 10 February, though the BBC has not independently verified the footage.
Meanwhile, investigations by The New York Times and Reuters suggest Egypt has deepened its involvement in the conflict in recent months, reportedly alarmed by RSF advances.
Peace Hopes Fade
The war shows little sign of abating despite diplomatic efforts.
US envoy Massad Boulos recently expressed hope of securing a truce by Ramadan, which began on 18 February.
Instead, a drone strike blamed on the Sudanese military hit families gathering at a water collection point in West Kordofan on the first day of the holy month. Children were among the dead.
As both sides expand their drone campaigns, analysts warn that Sudan’s war is entering a more technologically driven — and potentially more devastating — phase.
For civilians in Kordofan, the front line is no longer distant. It is overhead.
