Drone strike kills nine relatives of army-backed commander in Sudan

A paramilitary drone attack on the family home of an army-aligned commander killed nine of his relatives, two sources told AFP on Sunday.

The strike hit the house of Abu Aqla Kaykal, commander of the Sudan Shield Forces, in the village of Al Kaheli. The village is about 40 kilometres east of Wad Madani, the capital of Al Jazirah state in central Sudan. The attack happened around 10 p.m. local time on Saturday.

The sources blamed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the attack. The RSF has been at war with Sudan’s army since April 2023.

Among the dead were two of Kaykal’s brothers, Azzam and Haidar, and a relative named Siddiq Bakhit, who was also a commander in the Sudan Shield Forces. Six children from the family were also killed. The house and several neighbouring homes were damaged.

Kaykal once commanded the RSF in Al Jazirah state. He defected to the army in October 2024. After his defection, his fighters helped the army recapture key areas of central Sudan, including Al Jazirah state and the capital, Khartoum.

Sudan’s war is now in its fourth year. Tens of thousands of people have been killed. Some estimates put the death toll above 200,000. Millions have been displaced. Humanitarian officials describe it as one of the world’s largest crises.

SOURCE: AFP