The short version
- Drone strikes attributed to the Sudanese army killed more than two hundred people across West Kordofan and Abyei over a weekend, including dozens attending a funeral.
- The attack in Abyei, a disputed border region jointly administered with South Sudan, has prompted diplomatic protests and fears of cross-border instability.
- International observers warn that the increasing use of drones by both warring factions is exacerbating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises amid rising famine risks.
A series of drone strikes attributed to the Sudanese army has killed more than two hundred people in recent days, according to conflict monitors and regional officials. The attacks targeted civilian areas in West Kordofan state and the disputed Abyei region, striking a fuel market and a funeral procession. These incidents represent a significant escalation in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by state forces against targets that monitoring groups describe as densely populated with non-combatants.
On Sunday evening, strikes hit two locations in West Kordofan. The Sudan War Observatory reported that one attack struck a truck carrying approximately two hundred mourners traveling from an area north of Abyei to the town of Al-Dabab. Sources indicated that one hundred forty-five people died in the vehicle strike, while five others were killed when a tent housing funeral attendees was hit. Another drone strike targeted a market in the nearby town of Al-Mujlad later that evening, though casualty figures for that specific incident remain unconfirmed.
The violence continued into Monday with an attack in Abyei, a territory jointly administered by Sudan and South Sudan but claimed by both nations. The region's information minister stated that seventy-three people were killed when drones struck the Amiet Common Market, also known as Al-Na'am Market. Satellite imagery analyzed by BBC Verify shows extensive burn damage to buildings in the northeast corner of the market, an area typically filled with trucks. Video footage verified from the scene depicts large plumes of smoke and multiple fires erupting from structures near the impact zone.
A military source told the BBC that the army conducted the Abyei strike because it believed the market was serving as a fuel supply site for the Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary group fighting against the national army. However, the Sudanese army has not officially confirmed responsibility for the West Kordofan strikes, maintaining a general stance that it does not target civilians even if fighters are present among them. The discrepancy between military claims and witness accounts underscores the difficulty of verifying combatant status in chaotic urban environments.
The attacks have triggered immediate diplomatic friction between Sudan and South Sudan. South Sudan has summoned the Sudanese ambassador to lodge a formal protest regarding the Abyei strike. Tensions in the region remain high due to the unresolved status of Abyei, an oil-rich area that has been a point of contention since South Sudan gained independence in 2011. There are growing concerns that the conflict could spill across the border, destabilizing the wider region further.
Humanitarian organizations are struggling to respond to the surge in casualties. Médecins Sans Frontières reported receiving over twenty patients at Ameth Bek Hospital in Abyei town, including several critical cases and individuals suffering from severe burns. Emergency workers faced significant challenges retrieving bodies due to the intensity of the fires caused by the strikes. The UN has expressed alarm at the continued deadly drone strikes that are killing civilians, including children, and disrupting essential services across the country.
The increasing prevalence of drones in the conflict is a major concern for international observers. Despite a partial arms embargo on Sudan, foreign countries have been supplying both the army and the RSF with unmanned aerial systems. These weapons have become increasingly central to military strategy, allowing forces to strike targets with relative impunity. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric highlighted that this trend coincides with acute hunger affecting twenty million people, with a rising risk of famine in parts of western Darfur and Greater Kordofan.
Greater Kordofan, which comprises three states, serves as a vital axis linking the RSF-controlled Darfur region to Khartoum, which is held by the army. Fighting in this strategic area, rich in gold and oil resources, has intensified over the past year as the army sought to regain control. The wave of drone attacks appears to have originated from Kadugli, a city in South Kordofan state held by army forces. As the conflict enters its third year, the death toll continues to climb, with hundreds of thousands killed and more than fourteen million people displaced from their homes.
In Khartoum, violence also persisted on Monday. A drone strike near the airport killed four people, including three children, according to medical sources cited by AFP. Military sources claimed that air defenses in the capital downed several other drones launched by the RSF toward the airport. The dual use of drones by both sides illustrates how the technology has transformed the battlefield, enabling sustained aerial bombardment that complicates civilian protection efforts and deepens the humanitarian catastrophe.
The situation remains fluid as monitoring groups continue to assess the full extent of the damage. While the Sudan War Observatory provides detailed casualty estimates, official government figures often lag or differ significantly. The combination of high-casualty strikes on civilian infrastructure and the diplomatic fallout in Abyei suggests that the conflict is entering a new phase characterized by more aggressive aerial campaigns. International pressure may increase as evidence mounts regarding the targeting of non-combatants and the violation of ceasefires or humanitarian norms.
Sources behind this briefing
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- BBC World↗Sudan army drones hit mourners and fuel market killing more than 200 people, sources say
