The ongoing military conflict in Sudan has grown increasingly perilous for civilians, with a surge in drone attacks claiming the lives of over 160 individuals across various regions of the country. From people waiting for transportation to return home after visiting markets to young children in the capital, these aerial assaults have spared no one. The war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023, has seen a sharp escalation in drone operations, drastically heightening the mortal danger faced by ordinary citizens.
Bus Stops and Markets Targeted in West Kordofan
The highest death toll from recent violence was reported in the town of Al-Dibab, located in West Kordofan state in southwestern Sudan. On Sunday evening, a drone strike hit near a bus stop close to a local market. Villagers had gathered at the location to await transport home after the market day concluded. According to local residents and medical personnel, 80 people lost their lives in the immediate strike. News agency AFP reported that 47 wounded individuals were rushed to the nearby town of Al-Mujlad, where 30 of them subsequently succumbed to their injuries. Emergency Lawyers, a group monitoring violence against civilians, along with the RSF-affiliated administration Tasis, have blamed the Sudanese army for the deadly attack.
Casualties Reaching Children in Khartoum
The violence has also gripped the nation's capital, Khartoum, where drone strikes on Monday resulted in the deaths of three children, according to Emergency Lawyers, an organization tracking civilian casualties during the civil war. Meanwhile, drone activity was also reported in eastern Sudan's Gedaref state. A military source stated that on Sunday, the military's air defense systems successfully intercepted several RSF drones attempting to target the Atbara and Setit dams, which are situated roughly 420 kilometers east of Khartoum. The RSF did not issue an immediate comment regarding this specific incident.
Strikes Hit Strongholds and Displaced Encampments
Early Monday morning, a drone attack struck Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, which is widely considered an RSF stronghold. Medical and RSF sources confirmed that the strike killed 17 people, including seven RSF officers, and left 23 others wounded. Prior to this, on Friday, a group of displaced persons in Sudan's Blue Nile province was hit by a drone attack. Emergency Lawyers reported that 41 people died in that incident, describing it as a profound humanitarian disaster. Concurrently, heavy casualties were reported from Abyei, a disputed region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan.
Disputed Attacks Along the Border
In the contested Abyei area, acting information minister Yohana Acol Ngor told Reuters that a drone strike on a local market on Monday resulted in the deaths of approximately 73 people, while 19 others sustained injuries. He accused the Sudanese army of carrying out the strike, though he did not provide evidence to substantiate his claim. As the civil war continues unabated, the toll on civilian lives across markets, displacement camps, and towns mounts steadily.
