Sudan Drone Attack Claims Many Schoolgirls

A violent drone strike hit a secondary school and a health centre in southern Sudan, killing at least 17 people, most of them young girls. The attack also took the lives of a teacher and a health worker.

• Injuries: Local doctors report 10 people hurt, with three girls suffering serious wounds; two underwent surgery and the third was sent to Khartoum for treatment.

The incident occurred in Shukeiri, a village in the White Nile province, and is part of Sudan’s ongoing conflict that began in April 2023 when the army and a paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), clashed. The RSF has been linked to many daily drone attacks, especially in the Kordofan region.

Human toll: More than 40,000 people have died since the war started; aid groups believe the real number is higher. Reports of mass killings, rapes and other crimes are being examined by the International Criminal Court as possible war crimes.

Recent developments: In October, the RSF and its allies seized the city of el‑Fasher in Darfur. Experts described the assault as having “hallmarks of genocide.”

The RSF has not responded to requests for comment about the current strike.