LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Far from active frontlines, at least 13 people, including 8 children were killed killed in a drone strike on a family home in the Sudanese city of el-Obeid, deepening concerns over the growing toll of the country’s war on child health and civilian safety.
The Sudan Doctors’ Network said most of the victims belonged to the same family, describing the attack on the residential area as another deadly blow to already overstretched medical and emergency services.
Although no group has formally claimed responsibility, the medical group said the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) carried out the drone attack in an area controlled by the Sudanese army, which the RSF has attempted to breach for months.
In a statement, the Sudan Doctors’ Network said the incident “reflects a dangerous escalation of the policy of indiscriminate killing and systematic bombing of safe residential areas,” warning that children and families are increasingly bearing the brunt of the conflict.
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Health professionals say the killing of children in their homes underscores the severe medical consequences of Sudan’s nearly three-year civil war. Hospitals across the country have been damaged or shut down, while shortages of staff, supplies and safe access continue to limit care for trauma victims and displaced families.
The war, fought between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, has been described by the United Nations and aid agencies as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. More than 11 million people have been forced from their homes, hundreds of thousands are believed to have died, and widespread sexual violence has been documented.
Both sides have been accused of war crimes, including attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. According to the army, recent days have seen a rise in drone strikes, including an attack on a power plant in el-Obeid and an attempted strike on a major hydro-electric dam.
El-Obeid remains under army control, but analysts say its strategic position makes it a key target in the conflict.
Ultimately, for doctors on the ground, the focus remains on the immediate human cost, as children continue to arrive at health facilities either injured, displaced or dead in a war that shows no sign of easing.
