Urgent Action: End Systematic Targeting of Civilian in North and South Kordofan

Executive Summary

A critical humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in the cities of Alobied and Dillinj. Over the past week, coordinated drone attacks and artillery shelling by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and SPLM/N troops have systematically dismantled essential life-sustaining services, including electricity grids, water pumping stations, and fuel supply chains. With over 250,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) trapped in Alobied alone and an estimated 2.5 million civilians at risk across both cities, the region faces an imminent threat of mass mortality driven by thirst, starvation, and preventable disease. International actors must intervene immediately to halt these hostilities and ensure access to life-saving aid.

Escalating Violence and Civilian Casualties

Recent weeks have witnessed a disturbing escalation in the targeting of civilians and critical infrastructure:

• June 21–23, 2026 (Alobied): On June 21^st, a child died in fifth grade following a drone strike on the city. On the same day, a truck driver and his son were killed near a school, followed by two additional civilian deaths near Tabyan Hospital. Subsequent attacks on June 22nd and 23rd resulted in further fatalities and dozens of injuries, specifically targeting areas surrounding IDP camps and school compounds.
• Dillinj Incidents: Parallel violence in Dillinj has claimed at least three lives since June 21st due to shelling and drone strikes. Daily troop mobilizations by RSF and SPLM/N forces from multiple fronts have rendered the area increasingly uninhabitable.

Systemic Destruction of Essential Services

The conflict strategy has evolved beyond direct combat to include the deliberate destruction of survival infrastructure:

1. Water Crisis: Alobied, a dry region dependent on pumped groundwater, has faced a near-total collapse of its water supply. Attacks on electricity stations and the interdiction of moving fuel tankers have paralyzed water pumps. Residents now queue for hours to purchase scarce, often contaminated water at exorbitant prices. One resident stated, “We are not just afraid of being killed by drones; we are afraid of dying of thirst.”
2. Energy Blackout: The systematic targeting of power plants and fuel depots has led to almost total electricity shutdowns, crippling hospitals and medical facilities. Major health centers are operating at minimal capacity or have closed entirely.
3. Supply Chain Interdiction: “The drones do not just hit electricity stations… they even hit any moving fuel trucks carrying supplies,” reported a local resident. This blockade prevents the delivery of food, medicine, and humanitarian aid.

Humanitarian Access and Aid Constraints

Volunteers and local community groups are struggling to respond under fire:

• Community Kitchens: In Alobied, volunteers attempt to run community kitchens despite dwindling resources and rising costs. However, the sheer scale of need exceeds their shrinking capacity.
• Distribution Limits: In Dillinj, the risk of drone attacks and shelling has forced organizers to suspend many community kitchen operations. Current distributions can only reach one-quarter of regular beneficiaries due to road closures and security threats.
• Aid Risks: Funding shortages and high commodity prices limit access to food and water, while the increased volatility endangers the volunteers attempting to deliver relief.

Allegations of War Crimes

The siege on Alobied and Dillinj, characterized by the systemic use of drones to target civilian infrastructure and the deliberate denial of food and water, constitutes a potential war crime and the use of starvation as a weapon of war. The atrocities previously observed in El Fasher threaten to repeat on a massive scale in these regions.

Call to Action

We call upon the international community and global powers to:

1. Immediately Cease Hostilities: Demand an immediate end to drone attacks on civilian populations, schools, hospitals, and essential utilities in North and South Kordofan.
2. Secure Humanitarian Corridors: Establish safe, unimpeded corridors for the delivery of food, water, and medical supplies to over 2.5 million at-risk civilians.
3. Hold Perpetrators Accountable: Initiate investigations into the systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure as a violation of international humanitarian law.

The world cannot stand idly by while thousands of women, children, and families face a slow death by thirst and starvation. Time cost lives for people in Alobied and Dillinj.