At least 28 people were killed and dozens more injured on Monday after drones struck a crowded marketplace in Sudan’s North Kordofan state, according to the Emergency Lawyers rights documentation group.
The attack hit the Al-Saffiya area, northeast of Sodari locality, during one of the busiest trading periods of the day. The group described the death toll as preliminary, warning that the number could rise due to the presence of women, children, and elderly civilians at the scene.
Emergency Lawyers denounced the strike as a “serious violation of international humanitarian law”, saying it undermines the core principles designed to protect civilians during armed conflict.
The organisation cautioned that repeated drone attacks on populated areas signal a dangerous escalation in the conflict, placing ordinary citizens and essential infrastructure at increasing risk. It urged all parties involved in the fighting to immediately stop aerial assaults, refrain from targeting civilian facilities, and comply with international legal standards. The group did not assign blame for the attack.
The latest strike comes amid Sudan’s protracted civil war between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2023.
Since the outbreak of hostilities, tens of thousands have been killed and an estimated 13 million people displaced, according to United Nations assessments. The conflict has triggered one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies, with widespread displacement, food insecurity, and the collapse of basic services.
The increasing use of drones against civilian areas highlights a troubling shift in tactics in a war already marked by extensive human rights violations and deteriorating civilian protections.
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