The RSF reportedly launched a drone strike on an SAF base in Sinja, killing 27 people and injuring dozens, though injury estimates vary between 13 and 73 depending on the source. Sinja — home to the SAF’s 17th Infantry Division — lies on a key route north to Khartoum, and officials say the attack targeted military leaders and their escorts. The strike comes as the SAF renews operations across Kordofan and Darfur and as Sudan’s nearly three-year conflict fuels a major humanitarian crisis.
RSF Drone Strike Kills 27 at Army Base in Sinja as SAF Moves Back Toward Khartoum
The Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces reportedly launched the drone attack as a warning to government forces returning to Khartoum [File: Ashraf Shazly/AFP]
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) carried out a reported drone strike on a Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) base in the southeastern city of Sinja on Monday, killing 27 people, a military source told Al Jazeera. Casualty figures and details of the attack vary across sources.
Attack and Casualties
An anonymous military source told Al Jazeera the strike targeted senior military leaders as well as their security details and civilians who were accompanying them. Reports on the number of wounded differ: Al Jazeera cited 13 injured, while AFP, citing military and health sources, reported as many as 73 wounded.
Qamar al-Din Fadl al-Mawla, governor of White Nile state, was among officials in Sinja at the time and survived the attack. Two of his colleagues were reportedly killed, authorities said.
Local Responses
RSF adviser Al-Basha Tibiq suggested on Facebook the strike was intended as a warning to Sudanese military leaders. By contrast, Salah Adam Abdullah, a spokesperson for the Sennar state government, said the SAF had repelled the attack, adding:
"The army’s anti-aircraft defences dealt with it."He acknowledged civilian casualties and injuries but said life in the city had largely returned to normal.
Strategic Context
Sinja, the capital of Sennar state, sits roughly 300 km (180 miles) south of Khartoum along a key route north and is home to the SAF’s 17th Infantry Division, which appeared to be the primary target. The strike coincided with announcements that the SAF would renew its presence in Khartoum after operating out of Port Sudan since 2023.
The SAF has said it is mounting renewed operations to reclaim territory in Kordofan and Darfur. On Friday, the military claimed heavy losses inflicted on RSF fighters during air and ground operations in those regions.
Humanitarian Toll
The conflict, now approaching its third year and recently marking its 1,000th day, has produced a severe humanitarian crisis. The United Nations estimates more than 21 million people — nearly 45% of Sudan’s population — are facing starvation, and roughly 13.6 million people have been displaced, creating one of the world’s largest displacement crises.
Note: Numbers and attributions in this report come from local military sources, government statements, Al Jazeera and AFP reporting, and United Nations estimates. Some details remain unconfirmed and casualty figures vary by source.
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