Ameth Bek Hospital in Abyei town has been treating people wounded in Monday’s attack on the market
More than 300 people have reportedly died in a series of drone attacks in Sudan, with mourners travelling to a funeral among the victims. The country’s military has been blamed for the deadly bombardments.
According to the Sudan War Observatory, 150 people were killed in two locations within West Kordofan state on Sunday evening.
Meanwhile, authorities in Abyei, a contested territory along the Sudan-South Sudan frontier, reported 153 fatalities after an unmanned aircraft struck Amiet Market on Monday.
A Sudanese military source told the BBC that government forces conducted the Abyei operation, claiming the market served as a fuel distribution point for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The incident has heightened diplomatic tensions between Khartoum and Juba, which jointly administer the oil-producing territory. South Sudan became independent in 2011, but ownership of the disputed area remains unsettled.
Authorities in Juba have since summoned Sudan’s ambassador to register an official complaint, amid concerns that hostilities could extend beyond the border.
The attacks highlight the growing use of armed drones by both sides despite an international weapons embargo targeting parts of Sudan.
Foreign suppliers have reportedly provided equipment to the rival forces, making aerial strikes an increasingly prominent feature of the conflict.
Sudan’s war, which began in 2023, has caused widespread destruction, displaced more than 14 million people and claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. The United Nations has expressed concern over the increasing civilian casualties.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric condemned the continued bombardments, warning that children and other non-combatants were being killed while critical services were disrupted.
He added that approximately 20 million people were experiencing severe food shortages, with famine risks escalating in parts of Darfur and Greater Kordofan.
Greater Kordofan consists of three states and serves as a strategic corridor connecting RSF-controlled Darfur with Khartoum, which government troops have recaptured.
The Sudan War Observatory indicated that Sunday’s attacks may have originated from Kadugli, a city controlled by the military in South Kordofan.
One of the strikes reportedly hit a lorry carrying approximately 200 funeral attendees as it arrived in Al-Dabab, a town in West Kordofan.
The monitoring organisation said 145 people died in the incident, while five others perished when a nearby funeral gathering tent was bombed. Around 150 people sustained injuries.
Another military drone reportedly struck a marketplace in Al-Mujlad, also in West Kordofan. However, the number of casualties from that particular incident remains unclear.
Although the armed forces have not directly addressed responsibility for the reported attacks, they maintain that civilians are not deliberately targeted, even when soldiers suspect that RSF combatants are present.
In Abyei, the bombardment of Amiet Market occurred at approximately 11:30 local time on Monday, according to regional Information Minister Yohana Akol Ngor. The commercial centre is situated about 10 kilometres from Abyei town.
Ngor confirmed on Tuesday that the death toll had climbed from an initial 73 to 153. He described the incident as horrifying and deeply distressing.
Verified video recordings also captured thick smoke rising above the commercial centre, a petrol tanker and references to five missiles being launched. Additional footage showed two large fires burning in separate buildings nearby.
Another merchant questioned how the attack could occur in a territory protected by United Nations peacekeepers, who have maintained a presence there since 2011. More than 2,800 uniformed personnel are currently deployed in the region.
He said the destruction of a fuel market triggered a major blaze that spread to neighbouring houses, causing significant property damage.
Ngor also informed Reuters that rescue teams faced difficulties recovering victims because of the intense fires.
Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) confirmed that its facility in Abyei had received casualties from the incident.
Christian Lindauer, the organisation’s hospital manager, said more than 20 patients had been admitted, including several in critical condition. Some victims suffered burns, while others required surgical treatment and wound care.
Separately, a drone attack near Khartoum’s airport on Monday reportedly killed four people, including three children, according to Agence France-Presse, which cited a medical source.
A military source also told the agency that air defence systems had intercepted several RSF drones heading towards the airport.
The latest violence comes as fighting in Kordofan, an area with substantial gold and oil resources, has intensified over the past year following the army’s recapture of Khartoum from the paramilitary group.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong