A drone attack in Wad al-Mahi province in southeastern Sudan resulted in the deaths of at least 30 people on Friday, according to the provincial governor. The deceased included 26 women and four children who were displaced from their homes. Governor Mahjoub Al-Sheikh characterized the strike as a cowardly act and stated that the drone was launched from inside Ethiopia, a claim made through the AFP news agency.
The attack targeted an area near a displacement camp situated close to an informal gold mining site where women work daily using chemicals and their hands to extract gold nuggets from ore dug by male miners. The strike represents the latest in a series of drone attacks affecting the Blue Nile region, with this particular incident focusing on the province near the city of Damazin. According to Al Jazeera’s Sudan correspondent, such attacks have become increasingly frequent in the area.
The incident occurred amid broader tensions between Sudan and Ethiopia regarding military operations along their shared border. Sudan has made repeated accusations that Ethiopia is providing safe harbor to fighters and military bases associated with the Rapid Support Forces, though Ethiopia has consistently denied these allegations. Local sources indicate that the porous border between the two nations functions as a critical supply route for the paramilitary group and its supporters.
The attack also reflects the military situation on the ground, where the RSF has launched an offensive toward Damazin. This advance poses strategic challenges for the Sudanese army, potentially forcing it to allocate military resources across multiple fronts—both along the Blue Nile and in the Kordofan region, where the two sides have reached a stalemate despite a year of intensive drone operations.
The broader conflict in Sudan has generated significant humanitarian consequences. Aid organizations estimate the civil war has claimed more than 200,000 lives since it began in April 2023, contributing to one of the world’s most severe hunger and displacement crises. UN figures indicate that approximately 100,000 people have been displaced within Blue Nile state during this year alone.
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