Sudan war: Four women killed in drone strikes on Ed Damazin, Blue Nile

Four women have died and civilian sites, including a mosque and a technical college, were hit in drone strikes on Ed Damazin, capital of Sudan’s Blue Nile state, according to multiple sources. The home of the state finance minister was also hit.

The attack on El Hijra neighbourhood damaged a mosque and killed four women: Nahed El Jundi Yassin, Hanaa El Jundi Yassin, Masajid Jaber Idris, and Himaya El Nour.

Fighting has intensified in Blue Nile between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

Finance minister’s home hit

The Blue Nile Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning condemned the attack on the home of Finance Minister Molana Abbas Kara, which was struck by several missiles.

Kara said on his official Facebook page that the RSF targeted his home with four missiles fired by a strategic drone, describing the incident as a failed assassination attempt.

Technical college damaged

The administration of Ed Damazin Technical College condemned the attack on its campus by two drones, saying several lecture halls, administrative offices, laboratories, and other infrastructure were damaged or destroyed.

It said attacks on educational institutions violate students’ and staff members’ right to a safe and stable learning environment and damage civilian infrastructure serving the wider community.

Civilian protection urged

Fawateh El Nour El Bashir, governor of Ed Damazin locality, condemned the attacks on residential neighbourhoods and civilian sites, which killed several people and injured others.

The Blue Nile Civil Society Initiative also condemned the killing of the four women in El Hijra, attributing the strikes to the RSF and its allied Sudan People’s Liberation Movement. It also condemned the attack on the finance minister’s home in El Matar neighbourhood.

The initiative’s secretary-general, Ali Hajo, told Radio Dabanga that four people were killed – two from the same family and two neighbours. He said the finance minister’s home was also targeted without causing human casualties, along with a mosque and other civilian sites.

The Emergency Lawyers Group condemned the drone attacks in a statement seen by Radio Dabanga, warning against continued attacks on civilian sites. It said deliberately targeting civilians or civilian sites constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law, and called for the attacks to stop and those responsible to be held accountable.

The group urged all parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians and civilian sites.

The Al Jazira Human Rights Observatory said the attacks had caused widespread fear and panic among residents. It expressed concern over attacks on populated areas and rising civilian casualties, noting that Ed Damazin shelters thousands of displaced people who have fled fighting elsewhere in the region.

The observatory urged the parties to the conflict not to turn cities into arenas for fighting and military operations.