Mahjoub al-Sheikh, commissioner of Wad al-Mahi in Sudan’s south-eastern Blue Nile region, accused the Rapid Support Forces of carrying out drone attacks targeting displaced people, health facilities and water sources. On Sunday, he announced that 32 people had been killed and 43 others injured in an attack on Abu Shandi centre, as attacks continued in several parts of the region in recent days.
Abu Shandi attack death toll rises
The commissioner said the attacks also hit the area’s water source, arguing that targeting civilians and denying them access to water was worsening the humanitarian situation. He said the Health Ministry had sent medicines, four ambulances and medical staff to help treat the injured, while critical cases were transferred to Damazin Hospital.
Attacks hit town and hospital
According to Sheikh, the escalation was not limited to Abu Shandi. A drone struck City 7, part of the Wad al-Mahi locality, on Saturday, killing four people and injuring four others. He said another drone struck Um Darfa Hospital on Sunday morning, destroying it.
He added that continued drone flights sometimes disrupted the transfer of the injured, as some vehicles could not be moved for fear of being targeted. He called on media organisations to visit the area and document events, stressing the need to collect evidence and examine drone fragments to help bring those responsible for the attacks before the courts.
Thousands flee their homes
The Wad al-Mahi commissioner said attacks on the Kadalo administrative unit and villages including Minza, Bashkarkot and Jabal al-Nimr had forced between 7,000 and 8,000 people to leave their homes and head towards al-Azaza, Roseires and other areas. He said some displaced people had been forced to walk long distances amid difficult autumn conditions.
He said the regional government, the Humanitarian Aid Commission and other relevant bodies had provided food aid to displaced people, while efforts were under way to provide tents and plastic sheeting for shelter. But he acknowledged that needs exceeded available resources and called for increased humanitarian support, particularly for shelter, medical treatment and psychological care.
Responding to questions about security, Sheikh said the armed forces and forces supporting them were deployed in the area, while authorities were working to counter rumours that were frightening residents. He described the situation in Wad al-Mahi, Damazin and Roseires as stable, calling on residents and journalists to rely on information issued by official bodies and people present in the affected areas.
Medical teams respond to the injured
Mustafa Jabrallah, director-general of the Health Ministry in the Blue Nile region, condemned the targeting of civilians and health institutions. He said medical and ambulance teams had mobilised to deal with injuries caused by the attacks in Abu Shandi and al-Hijra district in Damazin.
Jabrallah said 34 people injured in the Abu Shandi attack had been transferred to Damazin Hospital, while another nine had received treatment in the area. He added that 21 injured people were still being treated at the hospital when the press conference was held, including 12 men and nine women. The health official said five injured people had undergone exploratory surgery and confirmed that their condition was stable.
He added that the ministry had supplied medicines and medical equipment, including intravenous fluids, dressings and injections, and had reinforced hospitals with additional medical staff. Other facilities were also being prepared in case of further emergencies. Jabrallah said coordination was continuing between the ministry, local authorities, the medical corps and humanitarian organisations to ensure the evacuation of the injured and provide them with the necessary care.
The Wad al-Mahi commissioner also called on international and human rights organisations to send field teams to document the attacks and provide psychological support to those affected. Sheikh said the attacks had affected children, women and displaced families, stressing that the area needed an urgent and sustained humanitarian response.
The developments come amid a military escalation in Blue Nile state in recent days, following attacks that authorities attribute to the Rapid Support Forces and the allied Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North in several parts of the state.
Sudan has been at war since April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced about 13 million, causing a severe humanitarian crisis across the country.
