The focal point of Sudan's nearly three-year civil war has shifted to the south-central Kordofan region, a strategic area rich in gold and oil. Both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have intensified their use of advanced drone technology, leading to a surge in civilian casualties. Reports indicate near-daily strikes on markets, hospitals, and residential areas, drawing sharp condemnation from UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk, who noted that over 50 civilians were killed in a single 48-hour window recently.

The SAF has recently made strategic gains by breaking RSF blockades in the cities of Kadugli and Dilling, where famine conditions had been reported. This shift in momentum is attributed to the army's successful dismantling of RSF air defenses using Turkish-made Akinci drones. While the RSF utilizes long-range drones allegedly supplied via international networks, the destruction of their supply lines from Libya has weakened their position. Despite US-led efforts to secure a truce by the start of Ramadan on February 18, the holiday began with a deadly strike on a water collection point, signaling no immediate end to the violence.