The attack struck outside the courthouse in the army-held town at around midday, where residents had gathered to complete legal and administrative procedures.
A medical source at the local hospital told AFP that 13 people had died and 22 injured people were receiving treatment. The toll had initially been reported at 12 before another victim died from their injuries.
The Sudanese Doctors Network also reported 13 deaths and 22 injuries, while the Emergency Lawyers group had earlier given a preliminary toll of 10 dead and dozens wounded.
Both groups blamed the attack on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF had not issued an immediate statement responding to the accusation.Witnesses cited by AFP said the area outside the courthouse was crowded when the drone struck.
One witness said the drone hit a tree outside the courthouse, while another described residents rushing to help people injured by the explosion.Robotics
The available accounts therefore indicate that the strike occurred in the immediate area of the courthouse rather than establishing that the courthouse building itself was directly hit.
Emergency Lawyers condemned the attack and called for an independent investigation, warning that attacks on judicial facilities and civilians threaten court employees, people seeking legal services and Sudan’s already weakened justice institutions.
The Umm Rawaba drone strike comes amid an escalating pattern of drone warfare across Kordofan, where civilian areas and critical infrastructure have repeatedly been hit during fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF.
According to the United Nations, drone attacks across Sudan killed more than 1,100 civilians during the first half of 2026.Umm Rawaba remains under Sudanese army control and sits along an important route connecting central Sudan with the country’s western regions.
North Kordofan has become an increasingly important battlefield as the SAF and RSF compete for territory and transport routes connecting central Sudan, Kordofan and Darfur.Military
The latest attack comes only two days after Sudanese army forces and their allies captured Hamrat al-Wiz from the RSF in North Kordofan, marking another shift in fighting across the state.Drone attacks have simultaneously become an increasingly prominent feature of Sudan’s war.
The September 8 attack adds to a series of deadly drone strikes reported across North Kordofan this year.Robotics=
According to local monitoring cited by Darfur24, North Kordofan had recorded at least 141 drone attacks by July 8, the highest reported number among Sudan’s states.
The UN human rights office previously documented hundreds of civilian deaths from drone strikes during the opening months of 2026, highlighting attacks on markets, displacement shelters and other civilian areas.