The brutal civil war ravaging Sudan has entered a terrifying new chapter, with confirmed reports revealing the deployment of advanced Iranian-made 'kamikaze drones' by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This technological escalation is intensifying the battle for the strategic city of Al-Fasher in the Darfur region, putting millions of civilians in the crosshairs.
Satellite imagery and intelligence analysis, corroborated by a United Nations report seen by The Independent, confirm the RSF's use of the Shahed-131 unmanned aerial vehicles. These lethal drones are designed to loiter over a target before diving and detonating upon impact, a tactic that brings a new level of precision and terror to the conflict.
A City on the Brink of Famine
The use of this advanced weaponry is concentrated on Al-Fasher, the last major urban centre in Darfur not under full RSF control. The city has become a critical flashpoint, sheltering over 1.8 million civilians who have fled violence elsewhere. They now face a looming famine, with aid agencies warning that the encircling RSF forces are blocking crucial humanitarian supply routes.
A spokesperson for the World Food Programme stated, "The situation in Al-Fasher is catastrophic and rapidly deteriorating. The use of sophisticated weaponry like this further endangers both civilians and humanitarian workers, making our mission to deliver life-saving aid nearly impossible."
International Condemnation and Warnings
The introduction of kamikaze drones signals a significant and dangerous shift in the RSF's military capabilities, which analysts believe is a direct result of foreign backing. The conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, has already created the world's largest displacement crisis.
Western diplomats and UN officials have issued stark warnings. The deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure and the blockade of aid could constitute war crimes. There are growing calls for an immediate ceasefire and for international actors to cease supplying advanced weaponry to either side, lest they fuel a further descent into chaos and bloodshed.
