Drone attacks blamed on Sudan’s military have reportedly killed more than 300 people in West Kordofan and the disputed Abyei region, including mourners and people at a busy market.
Khartoum, Sudan — More than 300 people have reportedly been killed in drone strikes attributed to Sudan’s military in West Kordofan and the disputed Abyei region, as aerial attacks intensify amid the country’s ongoing civil war.
The reported deaths followed separate attacks on Sunday and Monday, including strikes that hit people traveling to a funeral and a busy market near the border with South Sudan.
The Sudan War Observatory and local authorities reported heavy civilian casualties, while the United Nations condemned the escalating drone violence.
Sudan’s military has not publicly accepted responsibility for the West Kordofan strikes but acknowledged carrying out the attack in Abyei, saying its intended targets were fuel supplies linked to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
West Kordofan Drone Strikes Reportedly Kill 150 People
About 150 people were killed in drone strikes in Sudan’s West Kordofan region on Sunday, according to sources cited by the Sudan War Observatory.
Among those reportedly killed were scores of mourners travelling to attend a funeral.
The Sudanese military has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attacks, and the reported death toll has not been independently verified.
The incident adds to concerns about the impact of aerial operations on civilians in areas affected by fighting between Sudan’s army and the RSF.
Abyei Market Drone Attack Kills at Least 153, Authorities Say
A day after the West Kordofan strikes, drones hit Amiet Market in the disputed Abyei region along the Sudan-South Sudan border.
Abyei authorities said at least 153 people were killed in the attack.
A senior Sudanese military officer acknowledged the strike but said the intended targets were fuel tankers allegedly supplying the RSF.
The officer denied that civilians had been deliberately targeted.
Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), reported treating more than 20 wounded people at Ameth Bek Hospital following the attack.
The patients included people suffering from severe burns.
The United Nations condemned the growing use of drone attacks, warning that civilians, including women and children, were being killed and essential infrastructure damaged.
South Sudan Raises Concerns Over Abyei Strike
The attack in Abyei has also heightened tensions between Sudan and neighboring South Sudan.
South Sudan summoned Sudan’s ambassador following the strike and urged Khartoum to refrain from military actions that put civilians and property at risk in the disputed territory.
Abyei remains a sensitive region along the border between the two countries, making attacks there a concern beyond Sudan’s ongoing internal conflict.
Sudan Civil War Continues to Devastate Civilians
Sudan’s armed forces and the RSF have been fighting since April 2023, in a conflict that has displaced millions of people and devastated communities across the country.
The war has severely disrupted healthcare, food supplies and essential services, leaving large numbers of civilians dependent on humanitarian assistance.
The latest reported drone strikes have renewed concerns about civilian protection as fighting continues across several regions.
The full circumstances of the attacks and the final casualty figures remain subject to verification.
