A drone strike on an area near a market in the town of al-Dibab, in West Kordofan state in southern Sudan, late on Sunday killed 80 people, most of them civilians waiting for transport home after the market closed. It is one of the deadliest single attacks since Sudan's civil war erupted in April 2023.
According to witness Ahmed Wadi, the attack hit a transit point where people gather to catch rides back to their villages after the market closes. Wadi said he personally took part in burying 50 bodies, including that of his brother Mohamed. With telecommunications blocked, Wadi had to use a satellite internet connection to make contact and provide information.
Wadi also said 47 other wounded people were taken to the nearest town, al-Mujlad. A medical source, speaking on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, said 30 of them later died of their injuries.
"A total of 80 people were killed in the drone strike on al-Dibab, and another strike targeted al-Mujlad, wounding 4 people who are now being treated," the medical source said.
According to the witness, the drone struck twice, about 10 minutes apart, hitting the exact area where crowds had gathered.
The authority set up by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), known as Tasis, accused the Sudanese army of carrying out Sunday's attack. The whole of West Kordofan state is currently under RSF control.
Sudan's conflict has seen a sharp rise in the use of drones. Between January and April, recorded drone strikes killed at least 880 civilians, accounting for more than 80 percent of all conflict-related civilian casualties in the country.
Earlier, on Friday, drone strikes on a crowded livestock market in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, sparked controversy. The Sudanese army (SAF) said it had killed RSF fighters, while the RSF accused the army of killing 30 civilians.
The fighting in Sudan has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions. The conflict has been further fueled by outside powers with their own interests backing the warring sides.
Last week, Rosemary DiCarlo, UN under-secretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, warned the Security Council that the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Sudan continue to worsen "with no breakthrough in sight."
"The warring parties are no closer to dialogue. On the contrary, they appear to believe they can gain more advantages on the battlefield and that external support will allow them to pursue their goals by force," DiCarlo said.
Source: Guardian/AFP
