Drone Hits Nyala Market: Over 100 Dead as Sides Clash Over Toll
The army claims a precise strike on militia recruits, while rights groups report a heavy civilian toll in the Darfur city.
By Jonathan Ramirez ·
A drone strike on a crowded market in Nyala killed more than 100 people on Monday.
Emergency Lawyers reported that 113 others were wounded. The group stated that most of the dead were women and children. Nyala serves as the de facto capital for the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, in South Darfur. The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army has now entered its fourth year. The war has driven severe poverty and created the world's largest displacement crisis.
Witnesses described the scene on Wednesday. A cigarette vendor said hundreds of RSF fighters gathered at the market on the evening of the attack. He moved his stall between groups of soldiers to sell goods. A drone struck at approximately 8:00 pm local time. He said the blast killed dozens of fighters and women selling food. Another witness estimated that about 14 civilians died. He identified most of them as women selling tea and food. Both men requested anonymity to avoid retaliation.
Mubarak Bekheit, an aid worker in Darfur, said many bodies had not been recovered from local homes. The strike hit a civilian neighborhood. He noted that people lose their lives, loved ones, and homes while living under constant fear of bombardment.
The army-aligned side provided a different account. Mohamed Didan, a spokesperson for the Special Operations Forces, posted on Facebook that more than 150 militia recruits were killed. He described the event as a precise and targeted air strike on the Dumaya camp west of Nyala.
Independent verification of the casualty figures remains difficult. The Sudan Doctors Network issued a preliminary report on Wednesday. It listed 21 dead and more than 40 wounded, citing shelling as the main cause of death. The group said security constraints delayed the statement. Doctors Without Borders reported that a second strike hit a civilian neighborhood after the initial market attack. A hospital supported by the organization received 36 bodies in the hours following the strike. Twenty-one of those bodies wore civilian clothing. Staff treated more than 150 wounded in the emergency room.
The United Nations identified drone strikes as the leading cause of civilian deaths in Sudan. The war has pushed parts of the country into famine. In Nyala, the share of children seeking treatment for severe acute malnutrition doubled between January and August. UN estimates released earlier this month placed that figure at 11 percent, up from 5 percent.
