Sudan: Akıncı drone strike on a humanitarian convoy in Zalingei… An army that has lost its compass and a war sinking into total chaos

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In an incident that exposes the depth of deterioration reached by the Sudanese conflict, the army’s drone force carried out an attack on a humanitarian convoy in the city of Zalingei using Turkish-made Akıncı drones.

The event was not merely a military mistake, as some attempt to portray it, but a shocking political message showing that the army has shifted from a national institution to a force waging a ruleless war—without respect for civilians and with no regard for the international community’s red lines.

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1. An army using drones without restraint… leading to a humanitarian disaster

The use of advanced Akıncı drones to strike a humanitarian convoy is not an isolated occurrence. It comes as part of a series of random airstrikes on which the army now relies after losing control on the ground.

Drones have become a military crutch for an army weakened by major losses—but a crutch fraught with danger:

– inaccurate strikes,

– unreliable intelligence,

– and a complete collapse of engagement standards.

The attack raises a question the army avoids:

is it still able to distinguish between military and civilian targets?

Or have revenge and retaliation become its only compass?

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2. Darfur… the army’s military testing ground

Darfur, already overwhelmed by famine, siege, and tribal tension, has turned into an open theatre for drone operations.

The Zalingei attack confirms that the army treats the region as a “permissible zone” where operations can be carried out without accountability.

This was not simply a miscalculation but an explicit declaration that civilian lives are not among the command’s priorities.

When advanced drones strike a convoy carrying food and medicine, it means the army has either:

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– lost control of its air force,

– or is deliberately using excessive force with no political or humanitarian considerations.

In both cases, the situation is grave and extends far beyond a local battle.

3. Turkish Akıncı drones… advanced weapons in the hands of a force engulfed in chaos

The presence of Turkish drones in Sudan’s civil war raises questions about regional involvement and arms transfers.

But even more alarming is how the army employs this weaponry:

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– without engagement rules,

– without oversight,

– and without any ability to distinguish relief from threat.

This is not only a military failure but a political scandal implicating a leadership that allowed an advanced foreign weapon to be turned into a tool for civilian destruction rather than a legitimate battlefield asset.

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4. An army losing both the media battle and international standing

While the army tries to present the attack as a strike against Rapid Support Forces movements, the international community clearly sees—from patterns and outcomes—that the army has lost control.

An attack on a humanitarian convoy is the worst scenario for any army in an internal conflict because it:

– undermines its moral legitimacy,

– exposes its confusion,

– and offers its opponent an effortless political victory.

The Rapid Support Forces, unsurprisingly, exploited the incident, appearing in the media as being attacked while trying to deliver aid.

Regardless of the truth, the army fell into the trap and presented itself globally as an undisciplined force.

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5. Zalingei… a city becoming a symbol of state failure

Residents of Zalingei did not expect the strike to hit the aid convoy.

The besieged city awaited food as a wounded patient awaits a life-saving infusion.

But the army sent a different message:

“There are no red lines in this war… not even aid is safe.”

With such conduct, the army contributes to:

– deepening the humanitarian catastrophe,

– eroding local trust,

– and reinforcing the perception that the war is entirely out of control.

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6. Is the army becoming a burden on the state?

The most dangerous question now is not only “Why did the attack occur?”

But:

is the army still able to protect Sudan, or has it become a party fueling chaos just like its adversary?

Recent actions—from random airstrikes to shifting alliances—suggest an institution that has:

– lost discipline,

– lost political vision,

– and perhaps even lost internal control over some of its units.

Targeting a humanitarian convoy is the peak of this decline.

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7. The international community will not remain silent

The world is watching closely.

The UN, the European Union, the African Union, and the United States view this incident as new evidence that the war in Sudan is approaching the stage of “systematic crimes” warranting international investigations or even direct sanctions.

If the army continues using drones in this manner, it exposes itself to:

– broad investigations,

– political pressure,

– and possibly the removal of military leaders from the scene entirely.

Conclusion: Sudan sinking… and a military leadership acting irresponsibly

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What happened in Zalingei is not an incident to be overlooked, but a true reflection of the army’s condition:

a confused force committing catastrophic errors, deploying advanced weapons in an unethical war, and targeting what it was meant to protect.

The attack on a humanitarian convoy with Akıncı drones is a final alarm bell:

Sudan cannot recover as long as its military leadership treats civilians as collateral damage, treats the region as a testing ground, and views the international community as an adversary to defy.

Sudan needs leadership that can rescue the state—not leadership that continues to dismantle it.

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