Attack on Military Base: 27 Killed in Sudan

In a dramatic escalation of Sudan’s ongoing conflict, a drone attack on a military base in the south-eastern city of Sinja has left at least 27 people dead, according to Sudanese sources. The attack, carried out by the country’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), targeted senior military officials as well as their security teams and accompanying civilians, military insiders confirmed to Al Jazeera.

The strike occurred on Monday, 12 January 2026, coinciding with a major political development: the Sudanese government had announced the previous day that it was returning to the capital, Khartoum, for the first time in three years. Following the outbreak of civil war in 2023, government operations had been relocated to the port city of Port Sudan.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a brutal civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary RSF, with Khartoum State remaining one of the conflict’s epicentres.

According to military sources, the drone strike was highly targeted. “The operation was aimed not only at military leadership but also at their protective entourage and civilians present at the base,” one source explained. While the precise number of injured remains uncertain, Al Jazeera reports at least 13 people were wounded, with other sources suggesting the toll may be as high as 73. The French news agency AFP, citing military and health officials, echoed the higher estimate.

The Governor of White Nile State, Kamar al-Din Fadl al-Mawla, was present in Sinja at the time of the attack. Though he survived unharmed, two of his colleagues were reported among the deceased.

Sinja, the capital of Sennar State, lies roughly 300 kilometres south of Khartoum on a key route towards the capital. It hosts the headquarters of the 17th Infantry Division of the Sudanese Armed Forces, believed to be the primary target of the strike.

Meanwhile, RSF adviser Al-Basha Tibik, in a social media post, appeared to suggest that the drone attack was intended as a “message” to the Sudanese military leadership, signalling the ongoing volatility of the conflict.

Casualties and Key Details of the Sinja Drone Strike

The attack underscores the fragility of the situation in Sudan, highlighting the continuing cycle of violence and the challenges facing the government as it attempts to reassert control over the capital. Analysts warn that such high-profile strikes may further destabilise the region and complicate efforts towards peace negotiations.