Sudan’s government has condemned a deadly drone strike that killed at least 17 civilians in the village of Shukeiri in White Nile State, blaming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the attack.

In a statement, Prime Minister Kamil Idris and members of the government called the attack heinous.

“The Prime Minister, Professor Kamil Idris, and members of the Government of Hope express their profound sorrow and condolences over the martyrs of Shukeiri Village in White Nile State, whose pure souls were taken this blessed month as a result of attacks by drones launched by the rebellious and terrorist Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia,” according to a statement published by the Sudan News Agency.

The government said the strike targeted civilians in the village and called on the international community to hold the RSF accountable for what it described as ongoing atrocities against civilians. It also urged global actors to designate the paramilitary group as a terrorist organisation.

‘Deliberate civilian target’

The attack struck a secondary school and a health centre in Shukeiri on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people, most of them schoolgirls, and wounding about 10 others, according to medical officials.

The Sudanese Doctors Network said the victims included female students, teachers and a health worker. The group accused the RSF of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.

“This horrific crime represents a continuation of the violations committed by the RSF in White Nile,” the network said.

It added that several civilian sites had been attacked in recent days, including a student dormitory, a power station and residential neighbourhoods.

Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023 when fighting erupted between the military and the Rapid Support Forces, a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions.