Drone Strike Kills 80 Near Market in Sudan's West Kordofan State

At least 80 people were killed on Sunday evening following a double drone strike near a market in the town of al-Dibab, located in Sudan's West Kordofan state. The attack struck a busy transport hub where commuters were gathering to return to nearby villages after the market closed, making it one of the deadliest single incidents since the civil war began in April 2023.

According to local witness Ahmed Wadi, the drone launched two separate strikes approximately 10 minutes apart. Wadi stated that he personally assisted in burying 50 victims at the site, including his own brother. Using satellite internet due to a regional communications blackout, Wadi reported that 47 injured individuals were taken to a medical facility in the nearby town of al-Mujlad.

Casualties and Accusations

A medical professional speaking on the condition of anonymity confirmed that 30 of the patients brought to al-Mujlad succumbed to their injuries, bringing the total death toll from the al-Dibab strike to 80. The medical source added that a separate drone attack in al-Mujlad wounded four additional people who are currently receiving treatment.

West Kordofan state is entirely controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF-backed local administration, known as Tasis, blamed the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for launching the attack. The conflict between the SAF, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has seen a sharp increase in aerial warfare, with drone strikes causing over 80 percent of civilian conflict deaths between January and April.

Escalating National Conflict

The strike in al-Dibab follows recent aerial bombardments in South Darfur's capital, Nyala, where the SAF claimed to have targeted RSF fighters at a livestock market, while the RSF alleged that 30 civilians were killed. The broader war in Sudan has resulted in hundreds of thousands of fatalities and widespread displacement, driven in part by external support for both factions.

Addressing the United Nations Security Council last week, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo warned that the humanitarian situation continues to worsen. DiCarlo stated that neither party is pursuing dialogue, as both sides believe external assistance will allow them to achieve military victories on the battlefield.