White is under fire. Marching attacks claim dozens of civilians and raise fears of escalating targeting

White – OnePress

The city of El Obeid in North Kordofan state has woken up to one of the deadliest attacks it has suffered in recent months, after a series of drone strikes by the Rapid Support Militia targeted residential neighborhoods and civilian areas inside the city, leaving dozens dead and wounded amid a state of grief and anger among residents.

According to local and field sources, the attack began in the early hours of Thursday, when drones targeted a number of homes in the airport neighborhood, destroying homes and causing civilian casualties. The sources added that the attack was renewed shortly after the first strike, in conjunction with the gathering of citizens in the vicinity of the targeted sites to participate in the rescue and ambulance operations, which led to a large increase in the number of casualties.

Medical and local sources said that the death toll reached at least 23 civilians, in addition to 19 wounded, while other estimates indicated that the number of victims may rise as some of the injured continue to receive treatment in critical conditions.

Community sources said the attacks affected airport neighborhoods, staff and nearby areas, while the city witnessed a wide alert after repeated strikes within a short period of time. The sources also reported casualties during the rescue attempts, as well as targeting civilian gatherings during the funeral of a number of the dead.

Local sources circulated lists of the victims of the attacks amid mourning in the affected neighborhoods, while ambulance teams and volunteers continued to evacuate wounded and families from areas near the targeting sites.

In reactions to the incident, political and legal sources considered that the targeting of civilians and Shia gatherings represented a serious escalation in the course of the war, and reflected the widening circle of damage to populations not participating in the fighting. The sources also said that the attacks undermine the chances of calm and further complicate the humanitarian and security landscape in the region.

For his part, a military source said that the repeated drone attacks reveal the need to strengthen air defense systems in the city of El Obeid and its surroundings, pointing out that the residents of the city have borne great humanitarian and security burdens during the past period as a result of the continued targeting.

In the same context, human rights organizations condemned the attacks that targeted civilians in North Kordofan, stressing that targeting residential neighborhoods and civilian structures exacerbates the humanitarian crisis and increases the rates of displacement and suffering among the population. It also called for independent investigations and accountability for violations, and for ensuring the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law.

These developments come at a time when North Kordofan is witnessing an escalation in military operations, amid fears that continued attacks will lead to more casualties and a deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the city, which is a vital hub linking central and western Sudan.

As a new day of war has passed, White has been saying goodbye to her victims and counting her losses, while her residents await whether the coming days will bear further escalation or a glimmer of hope that the ongoing bloodshed will stop.