A drone strike, attributed to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, hit a mosque during prayers in North Darfur, resulting in the death of at least 70 worshippers, as confirmed by aid workers and the Sudanese army. The incident occurred in El Fasher, where the mosque was completely destroyed, and the death toll is expected to rise as bodies are still trapped in the debris, according to a source from the local aid organization Emergency Response Rooms, who requested anonymity due to concerns about potential reprisals by the RSF.
The Sudanese army, engaged in escalating conflicts with the RSF since April 2023, expressed sorrow over the loss of a minimum of 70 individuals in the attack. A statement released by the army condemned the rebel militia for targeting civilians unjustly and highlighted their continued disregard for global scrutiny.
Gathering detailed information about the assault proved challenging due to the restricted access to the area where numerous international groups have withdrawn due to security threats. The clash between the two factions has evolved into a civil war, claiming the lives of over 40,000 people, displacing up to 12 million others, and pushing many to the brink of starvation, as reported by the World Health Organization.
The Resistance Committees in El Fasher, composed of local activists monitoring human rights violations, shared a video showing parts of the mosque in ruins with scattered bodies. Additionally, the Darfur Victims Support Organization indicated that the attack occurred at a mosque on Daraga al-Oula street around 5 a.m. local time, based on witness accounts.
The drone attack in El Fasher is the latest in a series of assaults amid intense clashes between the opposing factions. Satellite images from the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University displayed signs of drone activity and the aftermath of explosions in the El Fasher region earlier in the week, revealing damage to structures in the Abu Shouk refugee camp, which houses 450,000 displaced individuals and has faced repeated attacks during the conflict.
The dire situation in El Fasher was underscored by the Resistance Committee’s statement, accusing the RSF of targeting unarmed civilians, including women and elderly individuals, in displacement shelters. The Sudan Doctors Network also reported RSF actions resulting in casualties and abductions, including minors, indicating a surge in kidnappings.
The UN Human Rights Office recorded the deaths of at least 3,384 civilians in Sudan, primarily in Darfur, between January and June, a figure representing nearly 80% of the total civilian casualties reported in 2024. The actual death toll is likely considerably higher, reflecting the escalating violence and humanitarian crisis in the region.
Residents of El Fasher continue to face significant challenges, with healthcare facilities inaccessible due to the siege. Dr. Ezzeldin Asow from El Fasher South Hospital highlighted the struggle to provide medical care, with patients arriving on foot or by donkey carts while medical staff risk their lives to save others. The ongoing siege has led to critical shortages of food, water, and medicine, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
During a UN briefing in Geneva, Li Fung, the UN Human Rights Office’s representative for Sudan, emphasized the deteriorating situation in El Fasher, citing severe shortages of essential resources and ongoing reports of civilian casualties, abductions, and sexual violence. The residents face a grim predicament with no safe escape routes, trapped between the risks of staying in a besieged city or attempting to flee amid threats of violence and atrocities.