KHARTOUM — A drone strike on a market in Sudan’s North Kordofan state killed at least 11 civilians and wounded dozens more, according to a Sudanese rights group, in the latest reported attack involving unmanned aircraft during the country’s ongoing war.
The strike hit the main market in Abu Zaeima, in the Hamrat Al Sheikh locality of North Kordofan, on Saturday, the Emergency Lawyers group said. The organization, which has documented alleged abuses since fighting began in Sudan in April 2023, said the casualty figure was a preliminary count and could rise.
Emergency Lawyers said the attack occurred less than 24 hours after similar drone strikes targeted nearby villages and a civilian vehicle in the same area. The group condemned attacks affecting civilians and civilian infrastructure, calling for accountability and compliance with international humanitarian law.
The group did not identify who carried out the market strike. Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been fighting for control of the country since the conflict erupted, had not claimed responsibility for the attack in reports available after the incident.
North Kordofan has become a major battleground in Sudan’s conflict, with both sides using drone operations as fighting has expanded beyond traditional front lines. The violence has contributed to a broader humanitarian crisis marked by mass displacement and severe shortages of food and medical supplies.
The use of drones in populated areas has drawn repeated warnings from humanitarian organizations and rights monitors, who have raised concerns over civilian casualties. However, responsibility for individual strikes has often remained disputed, with competing claims from Sudan’s warring parties.
Sudan’s war began in April 2023 after a power struggle between the army and the RSF escalated into nationwide fighting. The conflict has killed large numbers of people and forced millions from their homes, according to the United Nations and aid agencies.
The latest confirmed information from rights monitors indicated that 11 civilians were killed and dozens injured in the North Kordofan market strike, while no party had officially acknowledged responsibility.
