A drone strike in southern Sudan on Sunday evening resulted in the deaths of 80 individuals, predominantly commuters returning home from market activities.
Witness Ahmed Wadi reported that the attack occurred in the town of al-Dibab in West Kordofan state. He recounted, “I buried 50 bodies, including my brother Mohamed.” Utilizing a satellite internet connection to overcome a communications blackout, Wadi stated that 47 additional people were taken to the nearest town, al-Mujlad. A medical source, who remained anonymous for safety reasons, indicated that 30 of these individuals succumbed to their injuries.
The medical professional confirmed, “A total of 80 people were killed in the drone strike on al-Dibab, and another strike on al-Mujlad injured four, who are currently receiving treatment.” Wadi added that the drone conducted two strikes, 10 minutes apart, targeting a transport hub where individuals gathered to travel back to their villages after market activities concluded.
This attack is among the most severe single incidents since the outbreak of war in April 2023, triggered by a power struggle between the Sudanese armed forces (SAF), led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The RSF-declared administration, known as Tasis, has accused the army of executing Sunday’s strike. The entirety of West Kordofan state is under RSF control.
The conflict in Sudan has seen a significant rise in drone usage. From January to April, drone strikes accounted for at least 880 civilian deaths, representing over 80% of all conflict-related civilian fatalities in the country.
Following drone strikes on a bustling livestock market in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, on Friday, the SAF claimed they had eliminated RSF fighters. Conversely, the RSF accused the military of killing 30 civilians.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands and the displacement of many more, exacerbated by foreign powers with vested interests supporting different sides.
Last week, Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN's undersecretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, informed the Security Council that the situation was worsening with no imminent resolution. She noted, “The warring parties are not progressing toward dialogue. Instead, they seem to believe that they can achieve more on the battlefield, relying on continued external support to pursue their goals by force.” AFP contributed to this report.
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