Darfur Drone Strike Kills 35

Is Sudan's army committing war crimes against civilians or liberating the country from a collapsing RSF?

Published AUG 3

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Above: A man stands in a hole filled with drone components in El Obeid, Sudan, on March 29. Image credit: Faiz Abubakr/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

The RSF is a collapsing force — losing key cities in North Kordofan, watching its own fighters surrender with full equipment, and scrambling to recruit by offering backdated pay to replenish its ranks. Defectors describe an organization without principles, a coherent cause or a viable strategy, driven by foreign backing that serves nobody's interests but a handful of commanders at the top. The army's growing momentum tells the real story of where this conflict is headed.

Middle East Monitor Radio Tamazuj Anadolu Agency

Government-critical narrative

The SAF is deliberately targeting civilians, striking a traditional court in North Darfur and killing dozens of people gathered for local hearings — a war crime that demands full accountability. Drone attacks on bridges and dams show a systematic pattern of destroying civilian infrastructure. The international community must stop treating this as the fog of war and demand independent investigations now. The RSF will continue to fight for the liberation of the Sudanese people.

Rapid Support Forces Asharq Al-Awsat The National News