RSF drones kill 5 civilians in Khartoum, second strike in a week
Last updated: 11:46 UTC, May 03 2026 | Started: 2026-05-03 11:46 | 1 update(s) | Avg confidence: 78/100
The story so far: Sudan's civil war erupted on April 15, 2023, from a power struggle between SAF chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo ('Hemedti'), who had jointly staged a coup in 2021. The SAF retook greater Khartoum in early 2025 after nearly two years of RSF occupation, but the RSF consolidated control of Darfur and has pushed into Kordofan, turning the conflict into a war of attrition. Multiple ceasefire attempts brokered by the US, Saudi Arabia, and the African Union have collapsed.
Latest Updates
2026-05-03 11:46 — RSF drones kill 5 civilians in Khartoum, second strike in a week
RSF drones killed five civilians in Khartoum on May 2, 2026 — the second strike on the capital within a week — according to Emergency Lawyers, an independent NGO that documents human rights violations in Sudan (Al Jazeera/AFP, May 2, 2026).
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What We Know
- RSF drones killed five civilians in Khartoum on May 2, 2026 — the second strike on the capital within a week — according to Emergency Lawyers, an independent NGO that documents human rights violations in Sudan (Al Jazeera/AFP, May 2, 2026).
- On the preceding Tuesday, a drone struck a hospital in the Jebel Awliya area roughly 40 km south of central Khartoum, the first such attack in the area in months, AFP reported based on a security source and eyewitnesses.
- The strikes follow months of relative calm in Khartoum after Sudan's military government declared the capital 'completely free' of RSF following its counteroffensive that expelled RSF forces last year; the SAF-aligned government formally returned to Khartoum from its wartime base of Port Sudan in January 2026.
- Simultaneously, fighting intensified in North Kordofan and Darfur, with the RSF retaking the towns of Bara and Karnoi in North Darfur near the Chadian border, according to Wikipedia's 2026 Sudan civil war timeline citing multiple reports.
- The UN Security Council in February 2026 imposed sanctions on four RSF commanders — including Hemedti's brother Abdul Rahim Dagalo — for atrocities committed in el-Fasher, while Chad closed its eastern border with Sudan indefinitely after RSF fighters crossed into Chadian territory.
Still Unclear
- Emergency Lawyers NGO, reported by Al Jazeera and AFP: The RSF carried out the May 2 drone strike on Khartoum killing five civilians.
No RSF statement on record as of May 3, 2026: The RSF has not issued a public statement confirming or denying responsibility for the May 2 Khartoum strike; attribution rests solely on the NGO report.
- (Unverified — single source; cited via aggregated reports without named primary source) The RSF retook el-Bardab, north of Kadugli, in South Kordofan. [Wikipedia 2026 Sudan civil war timeline]
- (Unverified — single source; casualty figure not independently confirmed by named wire agency) Up to 64 civilians were killed in SAF airstrikes on Hemedti's hometown of Al Zorg, destroying the town's hospital. [Wikipedia 2026 Sudan civil war timeline]
Key Figures
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Civilians killed by drone strikes, January–March 2026 | nearly 700 | UN figures cited by Al Jazeera, May 2, 2026 |
| Estimated total war deaths since April 2023 | approximately 40,000 (WHO estimate); analysts say true toll may reach hundreds of thousands | World Health Organization, cited by Al Jazeera, April 14, 2026; CFR Global Conflict Tracker, April 21, 2026 |
| People facing acute food insecurity in Sudan | 21 million, including 6.3 million in emergency conditions | UN Food and Agriculture Organization, cited by Al Jazeera, April 14, 2026 |
| Sudanese displaced internally or as refugees since April 2023 | nearly 14 million | UN agencies, cited by RealClearWire/WND, May 3, 2026 |
| Sudanese requiring urgent humanitarian assistance | 30.4 million (nearly two-thirds of population) | FAO, cited by Al Jazeera, April 14, 2026 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the RSF striking Khartoum with drones if it lost control of the city?
After losing urban territory in Khartoum and facing SAF offensives in Kordofan, the RSF has pivoted to long-range drone warfare to destabilise SAF-controlled areas. ACLED analysts note the RSF aims to disrupt logistics, undermine civilian confidence in the SAF government, and demonstrate sustained reach despite battlefield losses.
How many people has Sudan's civil war killed and displaced?
The WHO estimates roughly 40,000 killed, though analysts warn the true toll could reach hundreds of thousands. Nearly 14 million Sudanese have been displaced — the world's largest displacement crisis — and 21 million face acute food insecurity, according to UN agencies as of April 2026.
What is the current front line in Sudan's war and who controls what?
As of May 2026, the SAF holds Khartoum, most of the north, east, and centre of Sudan. The RSF controls all five Darfur states and is contesting Kordofan. Fighting is most intense in North Kordofan, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile state, with the RSF also striking across the border into Chad.
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