Sudanese authorities said Friday that 15 civilians were killed and seven others injured in an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the Burbur area, south of El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state.
The North Kordofan state government condemned what it described as a "treacherous attack" targeting unarmed civilians in Burbur, calling it a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and humanitarian norms and values.
According to a government statement, the attack killed 15 civilians, injured seven others with varying degrees of injuries, involved the looting of livestock, and spread fear among residents.
The statement said the Sudanese Armed Forces and other security units immediately pursued the attackers, repelled them, forced them to flee, and reestablished full control over the area. Search operations are continuing to prevent further threats to civilians, it added.
The state government said the security situation in the area is "fully under control" and urged residents to rely on official sources for information and avoid rumors.
There was no immediate comment from the RSF on the allegations as of 1.45 pm GMT.
On July 6, the UN Human Rights Council decided to launch an urgent investigation into violations and abuses in El-Obeid and surrounding areas, warning of an imminent risk of large-scale atrocities.
For nearly two months, El-Obeid has come under repeated RSF drone attacks targeting the city's main power station, fuel facilities, and other civilian sites, leaving dozens of people dead or injured.
On May 12, the UN warned of escalating drone attacks in the Kordofan region, saying they had killed at least 880 civilians between January and April.
The three Kordofan states—North, West, and South—have witnessed intensified fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF since Oct. 25 last year.
Sudan has been engulfed in war between the army and the RSF since April 2023, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced nearly 13 million, according to UN estimates, deepening the country's humanitarian crisis.
