KHARTOUM, May 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 19 inmates were killed and more than 45 others injured in a drone strike targeting a central prison in El Obeid in western Sudan's North Kordofan State on Saturday, according to a medical source and eyewitnesses.

A medical source at El-Obeid Hospital, who requested anonymity, told Xinhua that the 19 dead bodies and the 45 injured have arrived at the hospital, and that "the number of casualties is expected to rise."

An eyewitness near the central prison building told Xinhua that "three drones launched around five missiles at the prison, with about three of them directly striking the building and the inmates' living quarters."

Another eyewitness said, "Rescue operations inside the prison are still ongoing, and the number of the dead and injured is higher than what has been announced."

So far, no official statement has been issued regarding the incident.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensified its drone attacks recently on military sites and key facilities in areas controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), including El Obeid.

Local media reported that the RSF continued its drone attacks for the seventh consecutive day on Port Sudan on Saturday, which has become the de facto administrative center of the country since May 2023. The RSF has not commented on the report.

Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives, with the exact toll unable to be verified. The International Organization for Migration estimates that over 15 million people have been displaced, both within Sudan and abroad. ■