At least twenty-eight civilians have been killed in two separate drone strikes in Sudan, according to health workers, as the country's brutal civil war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) approaches its devastating fourth year. This latest violence underscores the escalating humanitarian catastrophe, with aid organisations describing the situation as the world's worst crisis.
Market Attack in North Darfur Claims Multiple Lives
A drone strike hit a market in the town of Saraf Omra, located in North Darfur state, on Wednesday, resulting in significant casualties. A health worker at the local clinic reported to Agence France-Presse that the attack killed twenty-two people, including an infant, and injured seventeen more. Hamid Suleiman, a trader at the market, described the scene, noting that the drone struck a parked oil truck, which subsequently caught fire and spread flames to part of the market. This market serves a remote area close to the border with Chad, and it remains unclear which side was responsible for launching the drone.
Highway Strike in North Kordofan Adds to Civilian Toll
In a separate incident, another drone strike targeted a truck carrying civilians on a highway in an army-controlled area of North Kordofan, approximately five hundred miles east of Darfur. This road, which runs east to west through the state capital, El Obeid, and onwards to Darfur, has been frequently subjected to drone attacks from both the army and the RSF. A source at the hospital in the town of El Rahad informed AFP that six bodies arrived at the facility, with three of them charred, alongside ten wounded individuals. The source attributed this attack to the RSF.
Background of the Conflict and Humanitarian Impact
The civil war erupted in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, on 15 April 2023, when a power struggle between the army and the RSF escalated into open conflict. Since that time, more than 11.6 million people have been displaced from a population of about 51 million, creating what aid organisations have labelled the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Vast regions of the country now face an imminent risk of famine, compounding the suffering of millions.
Estimates of the death toll in the civil war vary widely, ranging from tens of thousands to over 400,000 fatalities. In a particularly horrific episode, more than 10,000 people are believed to have been massacred by the RSF in El Fasher over just two days in October 2025. The conflict has been marked by widespread atrocities and a severe breakdown of civil order.
Rising Drone Strike Casualties and International Concerns
Meanwhile, the number of civilians killed in drone strikes has seen a sharp increase this year, according to United Nations reports, with the Kordofan region being particularly affected. Marta Hurtado, spokesperson for the UN high commissioner for human rights, stated this week that more than 500 individuals were killed by drones between 1 January and 15 March alone. This alarming trend highlights the growing use of aerial warfare in targeting civilian areas.
In a recent example, a drone strike on a hospital in East Darfur on 20 March resulted in sixty-four deaths and eighty-nine injuries, as reported by the World Health Organization. The Emergency Lawyers, a Sudanese group dedicated to documenting civil war atrocities, identified the attack as being carried out by an army drone, further illustrating the complex and deadly nature of the conflict.
The ongoing violence continues to devastate communities, with no immediate end in sight as the war approaches its fourth anniversary. The international community remains deeply concerned about the escalating humanitarian needs and the persistent targeting of civilians in this protracted conflict.
