Drone Strike Kills Dozens at Wedding in North Darfur’s Kutum

Kutum April 9, 2026 ; More than 40 people were killed and over 100 others injured after a drone strike hit a wedding gathering in Kutum on Wednesday evening, according to local sources. The strike targeted a residential home in the Al-Salam neighborhood, where a wedding ceremony was underway. Witnesses said the explosion caused extensive destruction, leveling dozens of houses and displacing multiple families. Kutum has been under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since the early stages of the conflict that erupted in April 2023. The town has experienced repeated drone strikes in recent months, widely believed to be carried out by the Sudanese army, often targeting RSF positions as well as civilian infrastructure, including a rural hospital and the main market. A spokesperson for a political coalition aligned with the RSF claimed the death toll had risen to 56, including 17 children, with 107 others wounded. The group attributed the attack to the Sudanese military and condemned it in strong terms. The incident comes amid rising internal tensions within RSF ranks in North Darfur. Military sources indicate that RSF leadership recently attempted to disarm a prominent field commander in Kutum amid suspicions over his loyalty to tribal leader Musa Hilal. A force reportedly deployed from El Fasher to enforce the order, but the commander refused to surrender his weapons and instead sought protection from his community, raising concerns of potential internal clashes. Relations between the RSF and Musa Hilal have deteriorated significantly in recent months. In February, Hilal survived a drone strike targeting his residence in Misteriya. The incident was followed by a ground offensive by RSF forces to seize the Mahameed stronghold. Hilal later relocated to Al Dabbah in Northern State before traveling to Khartoum. Since taking control of Misteriya, the RSF has faced accusations of abuses against members of the Mahameed community in North and West Darfur, including killings, arrests, and increased surveillance of individuals linked to the group. The latest strike underscores the intensifying violence in Darfur, where civilians continue to bear the brunt of ongoing fighting and internal divisions among armed groups.