Drone Strike on Sudan Funeral Procession Leaves At Least Four Dead

Sat Jun 13 2026 13:09:53 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A drone attack on a funeral procession in Sudan’s El‑Obeid killed at least four people, amid escalating violence that has displaced millions.

In a brutal escalation of Sudan’s three‑year civil war, drones from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) struck a funeral procession at a cemetery in El‑Obeid, killing at least four civilians and injuring several others. The attack followed a series of strikes that began on Wednesday evening, with RSF‑controlled drones reportedly hitting civilian houses, an army base area and the airport district, resulting in additional casualties. The city of El‑Obeid sits at the centre of a strategic oil‑rich region and has been a key front in the conflict; control of the area means dominance over Sudan’s oil supplies. The ongoing battle has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 11 million people displaced and 28 million facing acute hunger.

Drone Strike on Sudan Funeral Procession Leaves At Least Four Dead

A drone attack on a funeral procession at a cemetery in the Sudanese city of El‑Obeid killed at least four people and wounded several others, two rights groups – Sudan Doctors Network and Emergency Lawyers – say. Both groups blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the strike, which was part of a series of drone attacks that began on Wednesday evening, killing at least 23 people in all.

The RSF has not yet issued a statement. El‑Obeid, currently held by the army, is a pivotal battleground in Sudan’s civil war, having been in conflict since 2023 when the army and RSF leaders disagreed over the country’s future direction. The fighting has produced the world’s most severe humanitarian crisis, with more than 11 million people forced from their homes and 28 million people facing acute hunger.

In addition to the cemetery attack, Emergency Lawyers reported drones also struck homes in a residential neighbourhood, the airport district and areas surrounding an army base, killing 13 civilians whose families had gathered near the destroyed houses. Earlier attacks claimed five more civilian lives, and a driver of a food‑supply lorry was killed when his vehicle was hit on Thursday. Residents described the destruction as “truly tragic” – roofs collapsed on occupants, leaving no survivors in several houses.

El‑Obeid lies in the oil‑rich Kordofan region, a division of North, South and West Kordofan states. Analysts say whoever controls the region basically controls Sudan’s oil supply – and thereby a large chunk of the country. The city’s strategic position between RSF‑controlled areas to the west and army‑led areas to the east makes it a critical front line in the war.

For more on the conflict: A simple guide to what is happening in Sudan.