A rights organization reported that a drone strike in a bustling market in central Sudan resulted in the deaths of 28 individuals. The incident took place in a region controlled by paramilitary forces in northern Kordofan, where ongoing clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have intensified over the past three years.
The Emergency Lawyers group, which monitors conflict-related atrocities, stated that multiple drones targeted the al-Safiya market near Sodari town in North Kordofan on Sunday. The strike occurred while the market was crowded with civilians, including women, children, and elderly individuals, with the exact casualty count being preliminary and undisclosed.
Sodari, situated approximately 230 kilometers northwest of El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, has been a focal point as the RSF aims to encircle the area. The Kordofan region has witnessed a rise in lethal drone attacks as both factions vie for control of Sudan’s crucial east-west corridor, linking RSF-held Darfur to Khartoum, the capital under army control.
Numerous civilian casualties have been reported across vast territories due to attacks by both sides, often targeting remote towns and villages. Recent incidents include the deaths of two children and injuries to several others in a school strike, along with significant damage to a United Nations warehouse storing essential famine relief provisions. The RSF, having secured Darfur in the previous year, has extended its influence eastward into resource-rich areas like Kordofan in a bid to dominate Sudan’s central passage.
The conflict between the army and the RSF, which has been ongoing since April 2023, has resulted in a staggering death toll, with tens of thousands of casualties documented.