Sudan’s civil war has taken a devastating turn, as a drone strike on a busy market in the country’s Central Kordofan region killed at least 28 civilians, with several dozen more injured. The information was confirmed on Monday by the human rights organization Emergency Lawyers.
The group reported that the attack occurred on Sunday in the Sudri locality of North Kordofan province, when the market was crowded with residents. Authorities fear the death toll could rise further due to the number of seriously injured victims.
In a statement, Emergency Lawyers condemned the continued use of drones in populated areas, calling it a “blatant disregard for civilian life” and highlighting the threat it poses to the remaining semblance of normal life in the region. The organization claimed that the strike was carried out by Sudanese military drones. However, two senior military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that no civilian infrastructure was deliberately targeted, denying any involvement in the attack.
The conflict between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023, has now entered its third year. According to the World Health Organization, at least 40,000 people have been killed, though the true number may be much higher due to communication breakdowns in remote areas. Nearly 12 million people have been displaced from their homes.
Just a week ago, a drone strike near the town of Rahad in North Kordofan killed 24 people, including eight children. The day before, a World Food Programme aid convoy was also attacked.
The United Nations Human Rights Commission has identified the Kordofan region as one of the central conflict zones, with both sides accused of war crimes and atrocities. In October, RSF operations in Darfur reportedly killed over 6,000 people in just three days, prompting the UN to describe the acts as “crimes against humanity.”
Source: AP.