Drone attacks kill at least 44 civilians in Darfur and Kordofan

More than 44 people, including women and children, were killed or injured in an air strike on the town of Umm Dukhun in Central Darfur. In West Kordofan, nine people — three women and six children — were killed in a drone strike on Wednesday on El Wahda market in El Fula.

Local sources said a drone carried out the attack on Umm Dukhun Wednesday, firing eight missiles at multiple locations, killing more than 24 people and injuring about 20 others in a preliminary toll that is expected to rise.

Musa Ahmedo Abdelmajid, acting head of the civil administration in Umm Dukhun, condemned the strike, saying it targeted civilians in their homes and markets and caused extensive damage to civilian property and infrastructure.

In West Kordofan, the Sudan Founding Alliance said nine people — three women and six children — were killed in a drone strike on Wednesday on El Wahda market in El Fula.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (RSF) have carried out continued attacks on areas under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which in recent days have resulted in more than 90 deaths in Kutum and El Sirif in North Darfur, Ed Daein in East Darfur, and Talolo market in Central Darfur.

The civil administration in West Darfur said on Tuesday that a drone strike on the Adikong border crossing killed 12 people.

The UN high commissioner for human rights said the sharp increase in the use of drones for air strikes in Sudan this year highlights the devastating impact of relatively low-cost, high-tech weapons when used in populated areas. It reported that more than 500 civilians were killed in such strikes between 1 January and 15 March.

In the deadliest attack, on 20 March — the first day of Eid El Fitr — air and drone strikes hit Ed Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur, killing at least 64 people, including seven women and 13 children. A doctor was killed, and eight health workers were among at least 89 people injured.