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At least 80 people have been killed in a drone strike near a market in Sudan’s West Kordofan state, in one of the deadliest reported attacks since the country’s civil war erupted in April 2023.
The attack occurred on Sunday evening in al-Dibab, where commuters had gathered at a transport hub to return to their villages after the market day, according to witnesses and medical sources.
A witness, Ahmed Wadi, said the drone struck the location twice within a 10-minute interval, killing dozens of people.
Wadi disclosed that he helped bury 50 victims, including his brother, Mohamed, while 47 injured people were transported to the nearby town of al-Mujlad for treatment.
A medical source, who requested anonymity for security reasons, confirmed that 30 victims later died from their injuries, bringing the reported death toll to 80. Another drone strike in al-Mujlad reportedly injured four people.
The administration aligned with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), known as Tasis, accused the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) of carrying out the attack. However, the allegation has not been independently verified.
West Kordofan, where the incident occurred, is under RSF control and has become a significant battleground in the conflict between the two rival forces.
The attack comes amid an escalation in drone strikes across Sudan, with civilians increasingly caught up in the fighting.
Reports indicate that drone attacks accounted for at least 880 civilian deaths between January and April 2026, representing more than 80 per cent of conflict-related civilian fatalities recorded during that period.
On Friday, another drone strike hit a livestock market in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state. While the Sudanese Armed Forces said the operation targeted RSF fighters, the paramilitary group accused the military of killing 30 civilians.
The latest incident underscores the growing humanitarian consequences of the conflict, which began in April 2023 following a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions, while worsening food insecurity and limiting access to essential services in several parts of the country.
International concern has also intensified over the continued fighting and the increasing involvement of external actors supporting opposing sides.
Last week, Rosemary DiCarlo, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, warned the UN Security Council that Sudan’s security situation and humanitarian crisis were deteriorating, with little indication of progress towards a resolution.
She noted that the warring parties appeared increasingly focused on gaining military advantages rather than pursuing dialogue, while continued external support risked prolonging the conflict.
The latest attack adds to growing calls for urgent measures to protect civilians and address the worsening humanitarian crisis as fighting continues across Sudan.
Source: Reports from The Guardian and AFP.
