The Rapid Support Forces on Wednesday accused General al-Burhan’s army (SAF) of launching drone strikes that targeted 16 World Food Programme trucks and destroyed a few in Mellit, North Darfur, and hit the town market, causing civilian casualties. RSF said its units had escorted the convoy into the area before the attack. No UN or SAF confirmation yet.
Local reporting last week noted WFP food convoys moving into northern North Darfur via the Tiné crossing, including shipments bound for Mellit—evidence that aid was on the road immediately before the alleged strike.
The claim comes amid a renewed SAF drone campaign in North Darfur, with recent strikes reported in Mellit and Al-Koma and earlier attacks on aid routes such as the June 3 ambush near Al-Koma that killed aid workers.
RSF officials framed Wednesday’s strike as part of a broader pattern in which the SAF’s drone war ignores clearly marked humanitarian convoys and populated markets. They argue that RSF units had facilitated the convoy’s approach through RSF-held corridors from the Tiné crossing, only for the aid to be imperiled by SAF overflights.
Independent verification of markings, routes, and the extent of damage is still pending.
