A United Nations vehicle carrying emergency shelter kits for UNHCR was destroyed in a drone strike on Friday, 24 April, in Tawila, North Darfur. The driver escaped unharmed, but the attack ignited the cargo, leaving more than 1,300 families without shelter in a camp that already hosts over 700,000 displaced people.
UNHCR confirmed that the vehicle was en route to Tawila, where residents have fled fighting in other parts of Darfur. The agency condemned the strike, noting a sharp rise in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) across Sudan since early 2026, which has resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths. “Attacks on aid convoys and facilities during armed conflict are unacceptable,” the statement read, adding that repeated incidents threaten humanitarian operations that are already stretched thin.
In a separate incident on Saturday, 25 April, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) employed drones to attack the city of El Obeid in North Kordofan. The Sudan Doctors Network reported seven civilian deaths and 22 injuries after drones struck residential neighbourhoods. Additional sources indicated that the assault also targeted commercial and government sites, including the Wad El Omda oil factory in the city’s industrial zone, where three workers—including the plant’s engineer—were killed and four others wounded.
Further drone impacts were recorded in the courtyards of the government secretariat and near the Zenobia Hotel, though these strikes caused no casualties. Police Major Othman Rahmatullah El Sheikh sustained shrapnel injuries to his back and pelvis while on duty in the El Darda district and is receiving treatment at a police hospital.
The resurgence of drone attacks in El Obeid follows a lull that began in early March, raising concerns among humanitarian groups about the escalating risk to civilians and aid operations. UNHCR affirmed that it will continue delivering assistance as part of the broader United Nations response to Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, which now affects nearly nine million internally displaced persons and 862 000 refugees.
The twin attacks underscore the growing threat posed by UAVs in Sudan’s conflict zones and highlight the urgent need for protection of humanitarian convoys and civilian infrastructure. International observers are monitoring the situation closely, urging all parties to respect humanitarian law and prevent further escalation.
