SAF Drone Strikes Hit Four Sites in Al-Daein (East Darfur) — RSF Commanders' Residences and Civilian Water Source Targeted

SAF drone strikes hit four sites simultaneously in Al-Daein, the capital of East Darfur State, in the early hours of May 12, 2026. Targeted sites included: the residence of East Darfur civil administration chief Mohamed Idris Khater (an RSF-aligned official), the home of RSF field commander Mohamed Naji, the residence of RSF deputy commander Haroun Abdullah, and the 'Andour Well' — a critical civilian water source for Al-Daein and surrounding communities. The strikes killed and injured civilians and caused damage to livestock. RSF Commander Hemedti was reportedly present in nearby Nyala when the Al-Daein strikes occurred, per security monitoring groups. The Al-Daein strikes are part of the sustained SAF aerial campaign over May 10-12 targeting RSF leadership and infrastructure across Darfur: Nyala was struck for two consecutive days (May 10-11), the RSF-operated Bayraktar Akıncı UCAV was downed over Nyala Airport (May 11), and now multiple RSF command targets across East Darfur were struck within hours. The dual-use character of the targeting — RSF leaders' residences embedded in civilian neighborhoods alongside the deliberate destruction of the Andour Well civilian water source — raised humanitarian concerns consistent with UN Human Rights Chief Türk's May 11 high-alert statement that armed drones have caused over 80% of conflict-related civilian deaths in the first four months of 2026.