Drone Strike on Darfur Water Source Kills at Least 21 as Sudan’s War Deepens on Every Front
Thursday, 23 July 2026
By Atlantic Digest Africa Desk
At least 21 civilians were killed and about 30 others injured on Tuesday after a drone strike hit a vital water source in Tina locality, North Darfur State, near Sudan’s border with Chad, in one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the region in recent months.
The North Darfur Popular Resistance accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of carrying out the strike, saying the drone targeted the Bir Andour area, a crucial water point used daily by residents, internally displaced persons and nomadic herders. Local media outlet Darfur24 reported that three missiles struck the town’s only functioning well, killing women and children among the victims and leaving dozens of livestock dead.
Medical facilities in the area were reportedly overwhelmed, forcing many of the wounded to be transported across the border into neighbouring Chad for emergency treatment. As of the time of reporting, neither the Sudanese Armed Forces nor the RSF had officially claimed responsibility for the attack, and the allegation against the RSF had not been independently verified.
The latest incident underscores the worsening humanitarian crisis across Darfur. Tina remains one of the last remaining strongholds of the Sudanese army and the allied Joint Force in the region, with reports indicating that the RSF has intensified drone attacks in recent weeks, targeting markets, civilian vehicles and public infrastructure.
According to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, drone attacks killed at least 880 civilians between January and April 2026, accounting for more than 80 per cent of all documented conflict-related civilian deaths during that period.
The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in El-Obeid, where an estimated 500,000 civilians remain trapped under siege amid growing shortages of food, medicine and essential supplies. UN officials have warned that the crisis could surpass the devastation witnessed in El Fasher, where months of fighting have displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
Sudan is also facing increasing international pressure. The United States has announced new sanctions linked to allegations involving chemical weapons, a move analysts say could further strain an economy already battered by war, inflation and international isolation.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) warns that Sudan, already regarded as the world’s largest humanitarian emergency, faces an even deeper food crisis as disruptions to global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz push up the cost of agricultural imports and humanitarian supplies. The agency estimates that about five million people are already experiencing emergency or catastrophic levels of hunger.
Despite the worsening violence, diplomatic efforts continue. Sudan’s Democratic Bloc has expressed support for an inclusive political dialogue to end the conflict, while government forces are reportedly deploying additional reinforcements toward the Sahara desert front as fighting intensifies across multiple theatres.
