A Sky Raining Death And Transnational Networks Fueling The Conflict In Sudan
In The Corridors Of The United Nations Human Rights Council, And During Its Sixty-Third Session Held Between The Seventh Of September And The Ninth Of October Of The Year 2026, A UN Document Emerged Carrying Within Its Folds The Details Of A Bloody Tragedy That Expands And Deepens Day By Day. This Document, Bearing The Reference Code “A/HRC/63/23”, Represents The Latest Report Of The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission For Sudan. This Report Does Not Merely Recount Field Events, But Places The Microscope On The Arteries Of Armament And External Support Networks That Keep The War Machine Turning In This Torn Country, Under An Expressive And Direct Title: “Fueling The Conflict In Sudan: Weapons, Fighters, And External Support Networks”.
This Report Comes To Confirm In Its Main And Core Conclusions That External Support Is The Primary Factor That Maintains The Continuity Of Military Operations And Expands The Capabilities Of The Disputing Parties In Sudan, Which Brings Severe And Disastrous Consequences To Defenseless Civilians. One Of The Most Prominent Strategic Shifts Accurately Monitored By The Report Is The Increasing And Dangerous Development In The Capabilities Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones), Which Have Enabled Both Parties To Launch Deep Military Strikes That Bypass Direct Frontlines And Reach Geographically Distant Areas. The Tragic Paradox Recorded By The Report Here Is That This Technical Development And Greater Technical Capability Did Not Bring Better Protection For Civilians By Any Means, But Quite The Opposite, As The International Mission Documented Brutal Attacks Targeting Civilians, Hospitals, Schools, Markets, And Displacement Camps, Including Attacks That May Amount To War Crimes Under International Law.
Behind These Complex Aerial And Field Operations, Lie Vast Hidden Networks Working On Supplying Weapons, Recruiting Fighters, Providing Training, And Continuous Logistical Support. The Mission Concluded That There Are Reasonable And Evidence-Based Grounds To Believe That A National And Transnational Network Has Provided The “Rapid Support Forces” With Weapons, Logistics, And Training, In Addition To Foreign Elements. Among These Foreigners, The Role Of Colombian Contractors Who Were Directly Involved In Operating Advanced Weapons And Complex Drone Systems Stands Out. The Identity Of Externally Trained Fighters Who Actively Participated In Sensitive Military Operations In Zamzam Camp And The City Of El Fasher Was Also Identified.
On The Other Side Of The Conflict Equation, The Report Clearly Indicates That Drones Supplied From Abroad Have Also Expanded The Capabilities Of The “Sudanese Armed Forces” To Launch Long-Range Airstrikes, Although The Mission’s Conclusions Regarding External Support Provided To The Sudanese Armed Forces Are Still In Their Initial Stages And Subject To Ongoing Investigation And Scrutiny. The Report Emphasizes That This Mutual External Support Requires Increased Scrutiny From The International Community, Especially When It Is A Direct Cause Of Sustaining Military Operations That Involve Serious Violations And International Crimes, As Happened In The City Of El Fasher Where The Mission Previously Documented The Occurrence Of War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, And Field Behaviors Bearing Clear Marks Of Genocide.
In The Context Of Its Relentless Pursuit To Stop This Continuous Bleeding, The Mission Issues An Urgent And Firm Appeal In Its Report To States To Enforce The Arms Embargo Imposed On The Darfur Region, And Suspend All Transfers Of Weapons, Drones, Military Components, Or Military Assistance, Wherever There Is A Significant And Potential Risk Of Their Use In Committing Human Rights Violations. The Report Does Not Stop At This Descriptive Limit, But Explicitly Calls On The United Nations Security Council To Expand The Scope Of This Embargo To Include All Parts Of Sudan Without Exception. The Mission Also Renews Its Previous And Continuous Appeals Regarding The Necessity Of Protecting Civilians As A Top Priority, Ensuring Accountability Across The Entire Chain Of Responsibility, And Providing The Necessary Support To The Victims And Survivors Of These Horrific Atrocities.
When Diving Into The Procedural And Jurisdictional Details Of The Report, The Text Clarifies That It Was Submitted In Accordance With Human Rights Council Resolution 60/3 Issued On October 6, 2025, Which Renewed The Mission’s Mandate And Expressed Its Deep Concern Over Its Conclusions Indicating Reasonable Grounds To Believe That Both The Sudanese Armed Forces And The Rapid Support Forces Had Violated International Humanitarian Law Amounting To War Crimes, And That The Rapid Support Forces Had Also Committed Crimes Against Humanity. This UN Resolution Also Condemned All Forms Of External Interference In Sudanese Affairs, Demanded An End To Material Support For Both Parties, And Urged All States And Acting Entities To Respect And Enforce The Arms Embargo Imposed On Darfur.
The Mission Also Responded To A Direct Request From The Human Rights Council, Formulated Following Its Urgent Debate On July 6, 2026, To Conduct What Was Termed An “Urgent Investigation” Into The Deteriorating Security Situation In The City Of El Obeid And Its Geographical Surroundings. The Council Encouraged The Mission To Present A Comprehensive Update On The Results Of This Investigation At Its Sixty-Third Session, In Addition To Briefing The United Nations General Assembly At Its Eighty-First Session. In Order To Prepare This Comprehensive And Documented Report, The Mission Received Intensive Advice From Specialized Experts, And Direct Field Accounts From Witnesses And Survivors, Expressing Its Deep Gratitude For Their Exceptional Cooperation And Courage In Sharing Their Harsh Experiences Under Perilous Conditions.
However, The Mission’s Path To Gather This Information Was Not Paved With Roses At All; It Expressed Its Deep Concern Over The Continuous Deterioration In The Protection Environment, And The Harassment And Systematic Intimidation Campaigns Faced By Survivors, Experts, Victims, Witnesses, And Anyone Believed To Be Cooperating With Documentation And Accountability Efforts. Stakeholders Described A Bleak Atmosphere Of Fear Dominating The Scene, As A Result Of Constant Surveillance, Arbitrary Arrests, Reprisals, And Direct Threats Targeting Journalists, Lawyers, And Human Rights Defenders, Both Inside And Outside Sudan, By Both Disputing Parties. Making Matters Worse In This Difficult Equation Were The Frequent Interruptions Of Telecommunications And Limited Internet Access, Which Are Restrictions Deliberately Imposed By The Disputing Parties To Prevent Citizens In Sudan From Communicating With The Outside World And Conveying The Picture Of Their Suffering.
Despite These Massive Challenges, The Mission Continued Its Professional Engagement And Diplomatic Communication With Various International And Regional Entities To Ensure The Comprehensiveness Of The Report. This Included Coordination With The Office Of The United Nations High Commissioner For Human Rights, The Personal Envoy Of The Secretary-General For Sudan, The United Nations Special Adviser On The Prevention Of Genocide, And The African Union Special Envoy For The Prevention Of Genocide And Other Mass Atrocities, In Addition To The United Nations Working Group On The Use Of Mercenaries, The United Nations Panels Of Experts On Sudan, Libya, And South Sudan, Reaching Up To The International Criminal Court.
The Mission Also Organized Joint Activities To Unify Visions With The African Union Joint Fact-Finding Mission On The Human Rights Situation In Sudan. This Joint Effort Included A Side Event Held In Geneva In March 2026, And The Issuance Of A Strong Joint Statement On The Anniversary Of The Outbreak Of The Conflict On April 13, 2026. In The City Of Banjul In The State Of Gambia, The Two Missions Participated Side By Side In Public And Secret Events Dedicated To Civil Society On May 12 And 13, 2026, And These Efforts Culminated In The Issuance Of A Joint Declaration On May 12, 2026.
On The Purely Diplomatic Front, The Mission Earnestly Communicated With Several Relevant Member States, Including Chad, Colombia, Ethiopia, Libya, Somalia, South Sudan, Panama, And The United Arab Emirates. The Primary Goal Of This Communication Was To Discuss And Clarify The Allegations Regarding The Provision Of Support To The Parties To The Conflict By Entities Registered In Some Of These Countries. Chad, Colombia, And The United Arab Emirates Provided Written And Oral Responses, Which The Mission Highly Appreciated, While The Mission Did Not Receive Any Substantive Response Or Cooperation From Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, Or Somalia, Whereas Panama Only Requested Additional Time To Respond To The Inquiries.
As For The Sudanese Government, It Continued Its Approach Of Complete Non-Cooperation With The Mission Despite Repeated And Continuous Attempts To Open Channels Of Dialogue. On June 14, 2026, The Mission Addressed An Official Note Verbale To The Government Of Sudan Through Its Permanent Mission In Geneva, Requesting A Direct Meeting And Renewing Its Old Request For A Field Visit To Sudan. Pursuant To Established Procedural Practice, The Mission Shared The Final Draft Of The Current Report With The Government Of Sudan On August 28, 2026, For Comment, But It Did Not Receive Any Response At All. Similarly, The Mission Sought To Obtain Information And Clarifications From The “Rapid Support Forces”, Through Letters Addressed On May 18 And August 12, 2026, Requesting Meetings With Its Supreme Leadership And Answers To Pending And Additional Questions. On June 8, 2026, The Rapid Support Forces Proposed Holding A Roundtable For Discussion, Which The Mission Welcomed, Confirming Its Immediate Readiness To Engage In Dialogue, But It Did Not Receive Any Subsequent Communication Or Response Translating This Proposal Into Reality.
The Strict Legal Framework Upon Which The Mission Bases Its Assessment Requires All Parties To Unconditionally Commit To International Human Rights Law And International Humanitarian Law. This Framework Includes Common Article Three Of The Geneva Conventions And Additional Protocol II, As Well As Established Norms In Customary International Law. International Criminal Law Also Applies Strictly, And The Field Situation In Darfur Since July 1, 2002, Has Been Subject To The Jurisdiction Of The International Criminal Court To Look Into Any Violations. Common Article One Of The Geneva Conventions Clearly Emphasizes The Obligation Of States To Respect International Humanitarian Law And Ensure Its Respect By Other Parties. The Comprehensive Legal Frameworks Governing The Flow Of External Military Support Include The Arms Trade Treaty, And International And Regional Conventions Governing Mercenary Activities, Including The International Convention Against The Recruitment, Use, Financing And Training Of Mercenaries, As Well As The Convention Of The Organization Of African Unity (Now The African Union) For The Elimination Of Mercenarism In The African Continent.
This Report Points To A Fundamental And Crucial Point Regarding The Sanctions Regime Imposed By The United Nations Security Council On The Darfur Region. This Regime, Including The Arms Embargo Imposed Under Resolutions 1556 Of 2004 And 1591 Of 2005, Is Binding International Legislation For All States Without Any Exception Or Circumvention. The Mission Strongly Draws Attention To The Fact That Commercial Companies And Private Military Security Institutions Involved In Providing Military, Logistical, Intelligence, Or Training Support To The Disputing Parties May Bear Grave Legal Responsibilities Under Applicable International And Domestic Laws, While Individuals And Employees Of These Companies May Face Individual Criminal Responsibility For Their Actions.
Through Its Complex Investigations, The Mission Was Able To Identify Foreign Individuals And Entities Directly Involved In Networks Providing Weapons, Foreign Fighters, And Other Forms Of Military And Logistical Support To The Fighting Parties. However, Out Of Commitment To Transparency And Strict Legal Responsibility, The Mission Clarified That It Only Announces The Names Of Those Who Have Been Officially Listed By The Security Council Sanctions Committee. At The Same Time, The Mission Maintains Confidential And Documented Files Containing The Names Of These Other Individuals And Entities, Which Are Legal Files That Can Be Shared In The Future For Purposes Of Accountability And Prosecution And In Full Compliance With Its Mandate. In A Parallel Judicial Track, International Accountability Efforts Continue Before The International Criminal Court And In A Number Of Domestic Jurisdictions Around The World, Where The Office Of The Prosecutor Of The Court Explicitly Announced The Acceleration Of The Pace Of Its Efforts Regarding The Horrific Crimes Committed In The Cities Of El Geneina And El Fasher.
This Analytical Introduction To The International Mission’s Report Takes Us Directly To The Heart Of The Most Prominent And Bloodiest Transformation In The Course Of The Sudanese Conflict, Which Can Be Called The “Redefinition Of Battlefields”, A Focal Point That Will Pave The Way For Understanding The Magnitude Of The Disaster. The Accelerating Use Of Technological Advancements, Specifically The Frightening Expansion In Drone Capabilities, Has Brought About A Radical And Irreversible Change In The Nature Of The Conflict. This Dramatic Development Has Led To The Expansion Of The Geographical Scope Of Hostilities To Include Safe Cities, And The Prolongation Of Intense Fighting Without Any Apparent Pause Or Lull, Even During The Rainy Season Which Was Considered In Previous Wars A Period Of Compulsory Tactical Lull For The Parties.
Historically, And In The Early Beginnings Of The Conflict, The Sudanese Armed Forces Maintained A Clear Tactical Air Superiority Thanks To Their Conventional Warplanes And Established Military Infrastructure, While The Rapid Support Forces Relied Almost Exclusively On Mobile And Swift Ground Forces. But By The Years 2025 And 2026, This Military Equation Was Turned Upside Down; As Both Fighting Parties Possessed Advanced Technological Systems Capable Of Conducting Precise Aerial Surveillance And Launching Lethal Attacks Across Frontlines, And At Geographical Distances Very Far From The Positions Of Their Ground Forces. These Lethal Systems Ranged From Short-Range Drones Equipped With Multiple Propellers, To Fixed-Wing Aviation Systems Reusable For Repeated Missions, Reaching One-Way Attack Platforms Known As Suicide Drones. The Evidence Available To The Mission Confirms That This Massive And Sudden Expansion In Destructive Capabilities Would Never Have Happened Without The Systems, Technical Components, Trained Personnel, And Munitions Procured Through Networks From External Sources.
The Matter Did Not Stop At The Borders Of Possessing Technology, But Surpassed It To The Intensity Of Use; The Drones Belonging To The Rapid Support Forces Were Used Very Widely And Intensively In The Military Operations That Took Place Around The City Of El Fasher, As Well As In Direct Attacks That Targeted Strategic And Civilian Locations In The Merowe Dam, Port Sudan, Omdurman, Khartoum, And El Obeid, At A Time When These Vital Locations Were Entirely Under The Control Of The Sudanese Armed Forces. Drone Offensive Operations Were Also Documented And Monitored In The Blue Nile Region. Recently, In A Parallel Escalation, The Aerial Operations Of The Sudanese Armed Forces, Including Precise Drone Attacks, Reached Sites And Areas Located Deep Within The Territories Controlled By The Rapid Support Forces In The Darfur Region, Specifically In Cities Like Ed Daein And Nyala.
These Continuous Aerial Attacks, Including Those Carried Out By Drones In Cold Blood, Which Relentlessly Target Vital Transportation Routes And Essential Infrastructure, Disastrously Multiply The Devastating Effects Of Sieges, Isolation, Forced Displacement, And The Deterioration Of Basic Services Needed By The Ordinary Citizen. The Enormous Damage Inflicted On The Infrastructure Of Power Plants, Fuel Depots, Water Stations, Transportation Networks, And Health Facilities Extends Its Severe Consequences Beyond Just The Immediate Site Of The Strike, As It Leads To The Disruption Of The Interconnected Service Systems Upon Which The Day-To-Day Survival Of Civilians Depends.
This Terrifying Expansion In Drone Warfare Has Led To A Demographic And Geographical Change In The Map Of Civilian Exposure To Hostilities, Making This Exposure Continuous And Permanent In Every Time And Place. In This Horrifying Statistical Context, The Office Of The United Nations High Commissioner For Human Rights Documented The Killing Of More Than A Thousand Innocent Civilians Due To Indiscriminate Or Targeted Drone Strikes During A Short Period Extending Only Between The Months Of January And May Of The Year 2026. The UN Mission Has Gathered Irrefutable Indisputable Evidence, And Previously Officially Reported Barbaric Attacks Striking Healthcare Facilities Teeming With Patients, Schools, Places Of Worship, Crowded Markets, And Fragile Displacement Sites, In Addition To Targeting Purely Peaceful Civilian Gatherings Such As Weddings And Funeral Ceremonies, Not To Mention The Systematic Destruction Of Energy Infrastructure.
When Cities Turn Into Traps And Holidays Into Funerals Under A Sky Of Drones
We Continue Our In-Depth And Detailed Reading Of The Report Of The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission In Sudan, Which Bears The Reference Code “A/HRC/63/23”. After Reviewing The Dangerous Strategic Shift In The Course Of The Conflict And The Role Of External Support Networks In Fueling It, We Now Dive Into The Horrifying Field Details Documented By The Report, Which Reveal How Drone Technology Has Reshaped Battlefields To Reach The Arteries Of Civilian Life. The UN Report Provides Prototypical Examples And Case Studies Embodying Systematic Patterns Of Violations, Where The Geographical Scope Of The Attacks Is Not Limited To Military Sites, But Clearly Extends To Include Successive Attacks Disrupting Interconnected Civilian Infrastructure, And Exacerbating The Devastating Effects Of Sieges, Isolation, Displacement, And Restrictions Imposed On Movement.
The First Of These Documented Tragedies Manifests In The City Of El Obeid, Which The Report Presents As A Glaring Example Of How Repeated Drone Attacks Led To A Gradual And Systematic Deterioration Of Essential Infrastructure In A City Already Groaning Under Severe Pressures And A Stifling Partial Siege. The City Of El Obeid, Which Is The Capital Of North Kordofan State And The Base For The Fifth Infantry Division Of The Sudanese Armed Forces, Remained Under The Control Of The Sudanese Army While The Pressures Of The Rapid Support Forces On It Intensified In June Of The Year 2026. Between May And July 2026, The Report Documented Attacks That Severely Damaged Or Completely Disabled Electricity And Fuel Infrastructure, Which Catastrophically And Sequentially Affected Water Supplies, Healthcare Services, The Transportation Sector, And Other Essential Services. Eyewitnesses Described To The Mission Almost Daily Drone Attacks Striking Military Sites, Residential Neighborhoods, Fuel Supplies, And Vital Facilities.
Satellite Imagery Relied Upon By The Mission Confirmed The Existence Of Damage That Occurred Between May 25 And June 25 At The Main Power Plant In El Obeid, Several Gas Stations, And The Grand Market, Damages That Were Assessed To Be Entirely Consistent With Aerial Bombardment. The Report Sorrowfully Indicates That The City Of El Obeid Was Already Facing A Chronic Water Scarcity, Where The Supply Of Potable Water Relies Heavily On Pumping And Treatment Using Electrical Power. Witnesses Reported That The Attacks Targeting The Electricity Grid Disrupted Water Services, Forcing The Besieged Residents To Reduce Their Water Consumption And Rely Increasingly On Rainwater And Unsafe Sources Fraught With Health Risks. The Impact Did Not Stop There, But The Repeated Attacks On Fuel Stations And Tanks Disrupted Civilian Transportation And Commercial Activity, And Reduced The Volume Of Fuel Available To Operate Electrical Generators Serving Hospitals And Water Facilities. As A Result, Hospitals Struggled To Maintain Oxygen Supplies, Dialysis Services, Blood Storage, And Perform Emergency Surgeries, And This Service Pressure Multiplied With The Influx Of Displaced Persons Into The City.
In A Heart-Rending Scene Documented By The Mission In Late June 2026, A Drone Struck An Empty Tanker Near The “Dar Al-Fikr” School In El Obeid. Witnesses Confirmed To The Mission That This Vehicle Had Been Parked And Out Of Service For Many Years, Yet The Attack Resulted In Civilian Casualties, Including An Innocent Schoolgirl Who Later Passed Away Succumbing To A Very Serious Head Injury. Based On These Data, The Mission Concluded That There Are Reasonable Grounds To Believe That The Intensive Drone Operations By The Rapid Support Forces In June 2026 Had Repeatedly Impacted Electricity And Fuel Services And Other Infrastructure Serving El Obeid.
If El Obeid Embodies The Suffering Of The Siege And The Destruction Of Infrastructure, Then The Town Of Kologi In South Kordofan State Presents To The Report A Bloodier Chapter Highlighting How Successive Drone Strikes Expanded The Scope Of Civilian Harm Beyond The Initial Strike To Reach Paramedics, First Responders, And Medical Evacuation Chains. On The Fourth Of December Of The Year 2025, A Drone Struck The “Nabaa Al-Hanan” Kindergarten In Kologi, Which Was Then Under The Control Of The Sudanese Armed Forces, Exactly At The Time When Young Children And Their Teacher Were Preparing To Hold A Joyful School Celebration. As Soon As Grieving Residents And Parents Gathered To Save What Could Be Saved And Help The Injured, Another Airstrike Hit The Same Location Or Its Immediate Vicinity, Resulting In The Death And Injury Of Many First Responders.
The Killing Machine Did Not Stop At The Kindergarten Gate, But Followed The Footsteps Of The Victims. While The Injured Were Being Transported To Kologi Rural Hospital, Which Is Only About Six Hundred Meters Away, A Third Strike Occurred Coinciding With The Arrival Of The Wounded And Their Relatives Near A Vehicle Transporting The Injured, Resulting In The Death Of Its Driver And Passengers. Witnesses Described To The Mission Cases Of Severe Burns And Horrific Blast Injuries Among Both Children And Paramedics. These Sequential Attacks Resulted In The Death Of 114 People, Including About 60 Children, And The Injury Of 35 Others. Schools Remained Closed For Several Months After This Massacre, While The Hospital Ceased Operating For Approximately 45 Days Due To The Terror That Gripped Staff And Residents Over The Possibility Of Further Strikes. The Mission Categorically Confirms That Witness Accounts And Available Information Did Not Indicate Any Military Use Of The Kindergarten Or The Hospital At The Time The Attacks Occurred, Leading It To Believe In The Responsibility Of The Rapid Support Forces For This Massacre.
Tragic Examples Continue In The UN Mission’s Report, As It Takes Us To The City Of Kadugli, The Capital Of South Kordofan State, Which By Late October 2025 Was Subject To A Tight Siege Making Access To Food, Healthcare, And Basic Supplies Severely Restricted. On The Thirty-First Of October, A Drone Struck Buildings Formerly Belonging To The International Organization For Migration In The “Kulba” Area, Which Were Being Used As A Shelter Housing Displaced Families Fleeing The Hell Of The Conflict. Witnesses Described The Outbreak Of Terrifying Fires, Damage To Neighboring Houses, And Multiple Civilian Casualties. A Medical Worker Reported The Injury Of Seven Children, Five Of Whom Later Died From Their Wounds, While Another Witness Described A Displaced Relative Whose Leg Was Amputated Due To The Attack. The Mission Found No Evidence Of A Military Presence Of The Sudanese Armed Forces In Or Near The Site, Concluding The Responsibility Of The Rapid Support Forces For This Attack That Targeted Defenseless Displaced Persons. This Attack Was Not Isolated, As The Report Also Documented Drone Strikes In February 2026 That Hit The Shurtaay Health Center In Kadugli, And Another Attack On January 15, 2026, Targeting The Dilling Market, Which Resulted In The Death Of At Least 12 Civilians While The City Was Under A Prolonged Siege That Severely Restricted Access To Food, Fuel, And Medicines.
On The Other Side Of The Conflict, The Report Highlights The Expanded Geographical Reach Of Drone Operations Belonging To The Sudanese Armed Forces, Which Extended To Strike Targets Deep Within Territories Controlled By The Rapid Support Forces, Causing Heavy Losses To Civilian Infrastructure. Prominent In This Context Is The Catastrophic Attack On Ed Daein Teaching Hospital In The City Of Ed Daein, Capital Of East Darfur State, Which Is About Four Hundred Kilometers Away From Active Ground Combat Zones In Kordofan. This Hospital Represented The Main And Most Important Public Referral Facility For More Than Two Million People Across East Darfur.
On The Twentieth Of March Of The Year 2026, On The Morning Of The First Day Of Eid Al-Fitr, When People Look Forward To Peace And Tranquility, The Hospital Was Subjected To Successive Airstrikes While It Was Teeming With Patients, Relatives, And Medical Staff. One Medical Worker Identified The Occurrence Of Two Strikes Separated By A Few Minutes; The First Strike Hit The Sensitive Emergency Area, Including The Pharmacy, Blood Bank, And Laboratory, While The Second Strike Occurred As Rescuers Were Trying To Help The Injured, Leading To More Casualties And Prompting Some To Withdraw In Fear Of Subsequent Strikes. Witnesses Described Horrific Scenes Of Severe Blast Injuries, Fires, And Charred Or Torn Bodies That Were Only Identified Through Remains Of Clothing Or Personal Belongings. This Attack Resulted In The Hospital Completely Ceasing To Function, And The Disruption Of Emergency Services, Intensive Care, Surgery, Maternity, And Pediatrics, Depriving Local Communities Of Vital Medical Referral Capacity Amidst A Severe Shortage Of Health Facilities. Patients Requiring Specialized Care Later Had To Travel More Than 150 Kilometers To Reach The Next Nearest Referral Hospital. Although The Mission Received Reports Stating That Wounded Fighters From The Rapid Support Forces Were Receiving Treatment At The Hospital, It Did Not Obtain Any Information Indicating The Storage Of Weapons, Launching Of Attacks From The Hospital, Or Any Military Use Justifying Its Targeting, Concluding That The Sudanese Armed Forces Are Responsible For This Attack Which Left At Least 70 Dead And 146 Wounded.
The Attacks By The Sudanese Armed Forces Were Not Limited To Hospitals, But Extended To Hit Places Of Entertainment And Commerce. On The Sixth Of June 2026, Munitions Fell On A Small Tin-Roofed Shop Inside The “Abu Zaeema” Market In Hamrat Al-Sheikh, North Kordofan State, Where Teenagers And Young Men Were Gathering To Rent And Play Video Games. Witnesses Reported Hearing The Buzz Of A Drone Hovering Over The Area For Thirty Minutes Before The Strike Destroyed The Shop And Damaged An Adjacent Bakery. Nine Bodies Were Recovered From The Site, While Three Injured People Later Died, And Witnesses Did Not Report Any Armed Presence Or Activity By The Rapid Support Forces In The Market At That Time, Reinforcing The Mission’s Conclusion Regarding The Responsibility Of The Sudanese Armed Forces For This Horrific Attack On Civilians.
Targeting Human Gatherings And Transnational Armament Arteries
We Continue Tracing The Bloody Threads Spun By The Report Of The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission In Sudan. The Aerial Death Machine Did Not Stop At The Borders Of Kordofan And Darfur, But Its Lethal Arms Extended To Reach Blue Nile State, Specifically The Yabus Area Located In The Far South Near The Ethiopian Border. This Area, Considered A Strategic Stronghold For The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (Al-Hilu Faction), Was An Open Theater For Repeated Aerial Attacks Carried Out By The Sudanese Armed Forces Throughout The Year 2026. On The Twenty-Ninth Or Thirtieth Of March Of The Year 2026, A Drone Launched A Horrific Attack Attributed To The Sudanese Armed Forces, Clearly Targeting The City’s Main Market And The Vital Area Surrounding The Primary Water Pump. Eyewitness Testimonies And Intelligence Information Received By The Mission, Supported By Technical Photos And Videos Of The Remains Of The Exploded Munitions, Confirm That At Least Two Munitions Struck This Area Crowded With Civilians. One Hit The Heart Of The Main Market, Causing Severe Damage And Widespread Destruction To Shops And Commercial Infrastructure, While The Other Munition Fell Near The Water Pump, Snatching The Lives Of At Least Thirteen Civilians And Injuring Others With Varying Wounds, Among Them Innocent Women And Children Who Were Looking For A Drink Of Water. The Attack Not Only Reaped Souls But Inflicted Structural Damage On A Nearby Medical Facility, And Caused The Market To Be Closed For Several Consecutive Weeks, Resulting In Total Paralysis In Local Trade And Cutting Off Access To Basic Services For The Besieged Residents.
The Series Of Field Atrocities Documented By The Report Continues To Include Direct Targeting Of Peaceful Civilian Gatherings That Have Absolutely No Connection To Military Operations Or Battlefronts. On The Eighth Of April Of The Year 2026, A Joyful Wedding Ceremony In The Kutum Area Of North Darfur State Turned Into A Real Funeral After Being Targeted By A Treacherous Airstrike That Resulted In The Killing Of About Thirty Civilians In A Single Moment. On The Twenty-Seventh Of April, The Hand Of Destruction Reached Hasaheisa Camp, Also Known As Hamideya Camp For Internally Displaced Persons In Zalingei, Where A Directed Drone Strike Killed At Least Five Civilians And Injured Twelve Others Who Were Seeking Safe Shelter Away From The Whiz Of Bullets. In A Scene Embodying The Complete Collapse Of The Most Basic Rules Of Distinction Between Military And Civilian Targets In This Conflict, A Drone Struck On The Second Of August A Session Of A Traditional Customary Court In The Village Of Gurrat Al-Zawiya In North Darfur State. This Court, Considered An Ancient And Recognized Community Mechanism For Resolving Disputes Among Residents, Was Teeming With Civilians From Local Community Leaders, Elders, And Minors, Leading To The Death And Injury Of A Large Number Of Them In A Horrific Massacre. Despite Circulated Reports Indicating The Presence Of Two Individuals Described As Officers In The Rapid Support Forces Among The Dead In That Gathering, The Mission Categorically Confirmed That Their Possible Presence Does Not Strip The Gathering Of Its Purely Civilian Character, Nor Does It Make The Buildings Of The Customary Court A Legitimate Military Target Under Any Circumstances, Especially In The Absence Of Any Tangible Evidence Of Military Activity Or Use Of The Place In Hostilities.
The UN Report Moves To Shed Light On The Most Vulnerable Category Paying The Price Of This Absurd War, Observing How Indiscriminate And Targeted Drone Attacks Intersect With Structural Gender Inequalities And Situations Of Forced Displacement To Produce Multiplied And Disproportionate Harm On Women And Girls. Women And Children Were Consistently And Systematically Falling Killed And Injured In The Attacks Documented By The Mission And Attributed To Both Disputing Parties. In Terms Of Maternal Health, Violent Attacks On Health Facilities And Infrastructure Dealt A Fatal Blow To Vital Medical Services Dedicated To Women. In The City Of El Obeid, Repeated Attacks Hitting The Electricity And Water Grids Reduced The Already Limited Healthcare Capacity, While The Main Maternity Hospital Had To Completely Suspend Its Medical Operations After A Nearby Drone Strike Inflicted Severe Damage To Its Operating Rooms And Attached Pharmacy. The Report Clearly Quoted Health Workers Describing A Severe And Fatal Shortage Of Life-Saving Medicines, Qualified Medical Staff, And Specialized Obstetric Services, Greatly Multiplying The Risks Of Maternal And Neonatal Mortality Due To The Absence Of Emergency Care, Blood Products, And Urgent Surgery. Shockingly, Health Professionals Reported To The Mission Noticeable And Alarming Increases In Miscarriages, Stillbirths, And Severe Pregnancy Complications During Periods Of Frequent Aerial Attacks, Scientifically Attributing This To Acute Psychological Stress, Movement Restrictions, And Delays In Accessing Medical Care. As For Children, They Were Direct Victims Of Explosions And Burns, And Indirect Victims Of The Destruction Of Schools, Potable Water Systems, And Displacement Sites, Resulting In The Deprivation Of Education And Primary Healthcare, And A Frightening Increase In Protection Risks, Especially For Girls Who Are Now Threatened By The Risks Of Child Marriage, Exploitation, And Other Forms Of Gender-Based Violence In The Absence Of The Rule Of Law And The Collapse Of Livelihoods.
Faced With This Horrific Record Of Blood And Massive Destruction, The Mission Concludes In Its Report Strict Legal Findings That Accept No Interpretation Or Justification. It Found Reasonable And Strong Grounds To Believe That The Rapid Support Forces Carried Out The Series Of Documented Attacks In El Obeid, Nabaa Al-Hanan Kindergarten In Kologi, Kologi Rural Hospital, And The Kulba Shelter For Displaced Persons In Kadugli, Without The Mission Finding Any Military Justification Or Warlike Use That Strips Those Civilian Objects Of Their Inherent Legal Protection. The Mission Firmly Affirms That These Attacks Violate Obligations To Verify Targets And Take Necessary Precautions In Attack, And Even Amount To War Crimes Given Their Deliberate Targeting Of Civilian, Medical, And Educational Facilities That Enjoy Special Protection. In The Same Impartial Legal Context, The Mission Found Reasonable Grounds To Believe That The Sudanese Armed Forces Carried Out The Airstrikes That Hit Ed Daein Teaching Hospital And The Abu Zaeema And Yabus Markets, Confirming That These Attacks Totally Contradict The Principles Of Distinction And Precaution, And That Merely Treating The Wounded From The Rapid Support Forces In Ed Daein Hospital Does Not Strip It Of The Special Protection Guaranteed To The Sick And Wounded Under Common Article Three Of The Geneva Conventions And Additional Protocol II, Making Its Deliberate Targeting And Destruction A Probable War Crime Requiring Accountability.
Here, It Dives Into The Most Dangerous Swamp And The Root Cause For The Continuation Of The Holocaust, Which Is Chapter Five Titled “Networks Enabling The Continuation And Escalation Of Hostilities”. The Independent Mission Did Not Stop At The Borders Of Documenting Field Crimes And Monitoring Violations, But Carefully Traced The Paths Of Bullets And Logistical Supply Lines That Feed The Killing Machine And Prolong The Suffering. The Mission Received Confirmed And Reliable Information Stating That External Actors Played A Pivotal And Fundamental Role In Sustaining This Bloody Conflict By Pumping Advanced Weapons, Military Equipment, And Financial And Logistical Support, And Even Recruiting And Facilitating The Transit Of Foreign Fighters. This Generous And Continuous External Support Is What Enabled The Execution Of Large-Scale Military Operations Marred By Serious Violations Of Human Rights And International Humanitarian Law, Some Of Which Amount To Fully Fledged International Crimes, A Matter Manifested With Glaring Clarity In The Darfur Region, Especially During And After The Operation To Seize The City Of El Fasher. In Implementation And Alignment With Human Rights Council Resolution 60/3, Which Clearly Condemned External Interference, The Mission Focuses In This Part Of Its Investigation On The External Support Provided To The Rapid Support Forces, Based On Strong And Intersecting Evidence Revealing The Existence Of A National And Transnational Supply Network Acting As A Military Lifeline For These Forces.
This Transnational Network, As Accurately Described By The Report, Operates Through Complex And Interconnected Air, Land, And Sea Routes, Linking Individuals And Entities Located In The United Arab Emirates, Chad, Southeastern Libya, And The Puntland Region In Somalia. Evidence Derived From The Investigations Has Proven That Specific Geographical Locations In Chad, Southeastern Libya, And Somali Puntland Served As Active Transit Hubs And Major Logistical Stations Through Which Weapons, Personnel, And Military Supplies Were Smoothly Transported To Areas Under The Control Of The Rapid Support Forces. According To Witnesses With Direct And Deep Knowledge And Other Independent Sources Heard By The Mission, The Military Supplies That Streamed Intensively Since April 2025 Included Heavy Artillery Systems Of The “Norinco AH-4 155mm” Type, Advanced Air Defense Systems Of The “FK-2000” Type, Radars, Armored Vehicles, Four-Wheel Drive Land Cruisers, Military Uniforms, Live Ammunition, And Even Medical And Logistical Equipment Related To Drones, Including Reconnaissance And Precision Strike Drones Of The “CH-95” Type And Their Accompanying Electronic Warfare Capabilities. This Massive Military Hardware Was Transported Via Tortuous Regional Routes Passing Through The City Of Bosaso In Somalia, Benghazi, Kufra, And Jufra In Libya, And Chadian Territories, Before The Weapons And Ammunition Crates Finally Ended Up Being Unloaded From Heavy Aircraft At Nyala Airport, Which Became The Main Gate Of Death Feeding The Camps Of The Rapid Support Forces In Darfur, Kordofan, And Other Areas.
The Mission Did Not Rely In Building Its Serious Conclusions Only On Oral Accounts And Individual Testimonies, But Resorted To A Scientific And Strict Investigative Methodology Based On Matching The Weapons Reported By Witnesses With Satellite And Field Photos And Videos Documented And Technically Authenticated. Many Of The Reported Missile And Defense Systems Matched With Indisputable Accuracy The Weapons And Military Equipment Whose Actual Presence Was Documented In Operational Sites Belonging To The Rapid Support Forces. For A Practical Example, The Mission Verified Live Footage Of Drone Wreckage Perfectly Matching The Characteristics Of The “CH-95/FH-95” Systems In Multiple And Widely Spaced Locations Across The Sudanese Geography, Including The Cities Of El Fasher, Nyala, And El Obeid. In A Scene Directly Linking External Support To The Field Killing Of Civilians, Verified Footage Recorded In The City Of El Obeid On The Twenty-Eighth Of February Of The Year 2026 Showed A Crashed Drone, Technically Classified As Being Of The “FH-95” Type, Lying On The Roof Of A Civilian House In The Heart Of The Crowded City Center. On That Same Ominous Day, The Lives Of At Least Nine People Were Lost And Many Defenseless Civilians Were Injured In A Series Of Successive Drone Attacks Targeting The Neighborhoods Of El Obeid. These Suspicious Transfers And Movements Of Weapons Acquire Extreme Importance And Maximum Gravity In The Eyes Of International Law And Human Conscience, Because They Were Not Limited To Maintaining The Military Capabilities Of The Rapid Support Forces, But Some Of These Lethal Capabilities And Advanced Systems Provided Or Supported Logistically And Technically Were Used Directly And Deliberately In Military Operations That Inflicted Severe And Irreparable Harm On Civilians And Civilian Objects.
Mercenaries Across Continents And Transit Stations Feeding The Artery Of War
The Lens Of The UN Report Shifts From Monitoring The Skies Clouded With Lethal Drones And Tracing The Paths Of Weapons And Ammunition, To Dive Into The Intricate And Darker Details Of The Foreign Human Element Flocking To The Sudanese Battlefields. In This Part Of The Document, The Mission Unveils The Complex Infrastructure Of Transit Networks And Logistical Facilitations That Have Turned Neighboring And Regional Countries Into Launching Pads And Back Corridors Fueling The Conflict. Multiple And Reliable Sources Heard By The Mission Identified Specific Geographical Locations Inside The Country Of Chad As A Vital Logistical Corridor Through Which Human Cadres And Military Supplies Move Smoothly Towards The City Of Nyala And Other Vast Areas Under The Control Of The Rapid Support Forces In The Darfur Region. The Matter Was Not Limited To Mere Random Border Smuggling.
