Drone strikes hit Sudan's El-Obeid as army reports retaking nearby highway

EL-OBEID, Sudan — Drone strikes hit the city of El-Obeid, capital of North Kordofan state, on Monday, with the attacks attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The strikes came hours after the Sudanese Armed Forces said it had regained control of a highway on the outskirts of the city. Successive explosions were heard across El-Obeid, prompting alarm in residential areas. The army said it had stepped up security measures along the route it had retaken. El-Obeid has been a recurring flashpoint in Sudan's civil war between the military and the RSF, with civilian infrastructure and populated areas periodically targeted. The United Nations and international aid organizations have continued to warn about the impact of the fighting on civilians. No casualty figures were immediately available from Monday's strikes.