The Sudanese Alliance for Rights unequivocally condemns the deliberate drone strike carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on Monday, 9 June 2025, in Al-Dibaibat city, South Kordofan State, which resulted in the killing of six unarmed civilians, including Rahama Dous, the Omdah (chief) of the Hawazma tribe, and five other prominent tribal figures. These individuals were attending a funeral ceremony for SAF soldiers and had no affiliation with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) or any party to the ongoing conflict.
The targeting of respected community leaders at a burial site is a deeply troubling escalation in the Sudanese military’s ongoing pattern of indiscriminate and politically motivated violence. The deliberate nature of the strike, particularly in a non-combat setting, strongly indicates a calculated attempt to intimidate tribal and civilian structures under the guise of military operations.
This act constitutes a grave violation of Sudan’s national laws, including the Interim Constitution of Sudan, which guarantees the right to life (Article 28) and the protection of civilians from arbitrary and extrajudicial killings. It also violates the Sudanese Criminal Code, which criminalises the unlawful taking of life and mandates accountability for state actors who use force outside the confines of the law.
At the international level, this drone strike violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)—specifically Article 6, which protects the inherent right to life—as well as Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which safeguards the right of citizens to participate freely in public affairs and leadership. The targeted killing of tribal leaders in this context undermines communal leadership and violates the basic principles of international humanitarian law, particularly the prohibition against attacks on civilians and persons hors de combat.
The Sudanese Alliance for Rights calls for an urgent, independent, and transparent investigation into this incident and for all those responsible—at the highest levels of command to be held accountable under both national and international law. We also call on the United Nations, the African Union, and relevant regional mechanisms to closely monitor the increasing use of drone strikes in civilian settings and take steps to prevent further abuse.
The systematic targeting of civilians especially those unaffiliated with any armed group represents a dangerous precedent and deepens the cycle of violence, mistrust, and fragmentation across Sudan. This attack is not only a violation of law but a moral affront to the values of dignity, community, and justice that Sudanese society must urgently restore.
Sudanese Alliance for Rights
10 June 2025