Local sources allege that the drone was launched from the nearby village of El-Akkad. Responsibility for the attack is disputed.
Pro-army activists blame the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), while RSF supporters deny involvement and suggest the incident may be the result of internal conflict within the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
The attack, which occurred around 6 PM local time, initially killed three people and injured 12. Four more individuals, including an SAF major, Abdalla Ahmed Mohamed, subsequently died from their injuries.
El-Akkad village is located between El Damer and Atbara, both under SAF control. Sudan War Monitor reports that the nearest RSF positions are 200 kilometers south of the incident site.
The state security committee confirmed the attack and casualties but did not specify numbers.
“A group of worshipers were attacked by a drone while they were performing the Maghrib prayer after eating the Ramadan Iftar meal in the city of Atbara,” the committee stated.
“The attack left a number of martyrs and wounded… More details will be published once the investigations are completed.”