Devastating Drone Attack on a Busy Market in Sudan: Over 100 Dead; Army Accused

New Delhi. Amid the ongoing civil war in Sudan, a devastating drone attack has left more than 100 people dead and 113 injured. The attack occurred in a busy market in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur province in southwestern Sudan. In a statement released on Tuesday, the human rights organization ‘Emergency Lawyers’—which monitors violence in the country—held the Sudanese army responsible for the attack.

According to the organization, the drone strike took place on Monday evening. A large number of women and children are among the dead and injured. The organization has strongly condemned the attack on the market and called for an independent investigation.

Devastation in the Market: Over 100 Dead
In its statement, the human rights group ‘Emergency Lawyers’ noted that the attack transformed a civilian marketplace into a scene of mass casualties and horrific injuries. The organization stated, “This massacre has turned a civilian market into a site of mass death and injury. It is an attack that threatens the lives of local residents and further exacerbates their suffering amidst the ongoing war.” The group has demanded an independent inquiry into the incident.

36 Bodies and 150 Injured Arrive at Hospital
The international medical organization ‘Doctors Without Borders’ (Médecins Sans Frontières – MSF) previously reported that 36 bodies had been brought to its hospital in Nyala, while 150 injured individuals had arrived at the hospital’s emergency department. Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, is currently under the control of the paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This organization has been fighting a war against the Sudanese army since April 2023.

Rising civilian death toll from drone strikes
Drone strikes are being consistently used throughout the ongoing civil war in Sudan. In recent weeks, there has been a sharp increase in such attacks by both the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives.

Both sides in the conflict are increasingly deploying drones equipped with explosives. In many instances, civilian infrastructure—including hospitals, dams, schools, markets, and camps for displaced persons—has been targeted.

According to the United Nations, drone strikes have become the deadliest threat to civilians in the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

Approximately 34 million people in need of aid
The ongoing war in Sudan has triggered the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The United Nations estimates that around 34 million people in the country require humanitarian assistance—a figure 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 (RSF) erupted into open conflict in the capital, Khartoum. The fighting subsequently spread to other parts of the country. A recent drone strike in the city of Nyala, in South Darfur, has now intensified serious concerns regarding the safety of civilians amidst the ongoing war.