A devastating drone attack on a crowded market in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur in southwestern Sudan, has killed more than 100 people and injured 113 others amid the country's ongoing civil war. The human rights organisation Emergency Lawyers, which monitors violence in Sudan, blamed the Sudanese army for the attack in a statement issued on Tuesday.
According to the organisation, the drone strike took place on Monday evening. A large number of women and children were among those killed and injured.
Emergency Lawyers strongly condemned the attack on the market and called for an independent investigation into the incident.
In its statement, the organisation said the attack had transformed a civilian market into a scene of mass killings and horrific injuries.
“This massacre turned a civilian market into a site of mass deaths and injuries. It is an attack that threatens the lives of local residents and further intensifies their suffering amid the ongoing war,” the organisation said.
The human rights group reiterated its demand for an independent investigation into the attack.
36 Bodies Brought to Hospital, 150 Injured
International medical organisation Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) had earlier reported that 36 bodies were brought to its hospital in Nyala. Meanwhile, 150 injured people arrived at the hospital's emergency department.
Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, is currently under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been fighting the Sudanese army since April 2023.
Civilian Deaths Rising Amid Increasing Drone Attacks
Drone strikes have become a regular feature of Sudan's ongoing civil war. However, both the Sudanese army and the RSF have significantly increased their use of drones over the past few weeks. Hundreds of people have been killed in these attacks.
Both sides involved in the conflict are increasingly deploying drones equipped with explosives. In several cases, civilian locations, including hospitals, dams, schools, markets and camps for displaced people, have been targeted.
According to the United Nations, drone attacks have emerged as the deadliest threat to civilians amid the conflict in Sudan.
Nearly 34 Million People Need Humanitarian Assistance
The ongoing war in Sudan has created the world's largest humanitarian crisis. According to the United Nations, approximately 34 million people in the country need humanitarian assistance, representing nearly two-thirds of Sudan's total population.
The civil war in Sudan began in April 2023, when escalating tensions between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum. The conflict subsequently spread to other parts of the country.
The latest drone attack in Nyala, South Darfur, has further intensified concerns over the safety of civilians caught in the ongoing war, as attacks on civilian areas continue to claim lives and worsen an already severe humanitarian crisis.
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