Sudan drone strikes kill dozens in Kordofan and three children in Khartoum
A drone strike near a market in Sudan's West Kordofan state killed about 80 people on Sunday, the Guardian reported. AP reported that a rare drone attack on Khartoum killed three young children on Monday. Both sides in Sudan's war have stepped up drone strikes that are killing civilians.
A drone strike near a market in the town of al-Dibab in Sudan's West Kordofan state on Sunday evening killed 80 people, most of them commuters catching rides home, the Guardian reported, citing a medical source. AP reported that the strike on the Al-Dabab area killed dozens of civilians, including women and children, citing the group Emergency Lawyers.
A witness, Ahmed Wadi, said he helped bury 50 bodies, one of them his brother, and that 47 other people were taken to the nearest town, the Guardian reported. A medical source said 30 of them died of their injuries, the Guardian reported. Wadi said the drone struck twice, 10 minutes apart, at a transport hub where people gather after market day, the Guardian reported.
The RSF-declared administration accused the army of carrying out the strike, the Guardian reported. Emergency Lawyers also blamed the Sudanese military for the al-Dabab strike and for bombing a market in al-Muglad on Saturday, calling the attacks violations of international humanitarian law, AP reported. All of West Kordofan is under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, the Guardian reported.
On Monday, a rare drone attack on Khartoum killed three children aged two, four and six in Imtidad Nasser, a neighborhood east of the city's airport, AP reported, citing Emergency Lawyers. The group blamed the RSF for that strike, and there was no immediate comment from the RSF, AP reported. A resident said he saw a drone flying toward the airport and heard anti-aircraft fire, AP reported.
Drone strikes accounted for at least 880 civilian deaths between January and April, more than 80% of all conflict-related civilian deaths in Sudan, the Guardian reported. Sudan's war began in April 2023 and has killed at least 59,000 people, according to the monitor ACLED, AP reported. About 13 million people have been displaced, according to UN figures, AP reported.
Last week, UN official Rosemary DiCarlo said at the Security Council that the warring parties "are not moving closer to dialogue," the Guardian reported.
What we know: Drone strikes killed dozens in West Kordofan on Sunday and three children in Khartoum on Monday.
What we don't: The final toll in al-Dibab, and independent confirmation of who carried out each strike.
Where outlets agree AP and the Guardian report that a drone strike in West Kordofan on Sunday killed dozens of civilians, with blame put on the Sudanese army.
Where they differ The Guardian reported that the al-Dibab strike killed 80 people, citing a medical source, while AP reported dozens of civilians killed, citing Emergency Lawyers.