Drone strike on Sudan market kills 28, injures dozens in North Kordofan

2026-02-16 - 19:45

At least 28 people were killed and numerous others injured Monday when drones struck a bustling marketplace in Sudan's North Kordofan state, the Emergency Lawyers rights documentation group reported. The attack targeted the Al-Saffiya area northeast of Sodari locality during peak market hours, resulting in what the group described as a preliminary toll expected to rise given the presence of women, children, and elderly civilians at the scene. Condemnation and Humanitarian Law Violations Emergency Lawyers condemned the attack as a "serious violation of international humanitarian law" undermining fundamental principles of civilian protection during armed conflict. The statement warned that repeated drone strikes against populated areas represent dangerous escalation threatening civilian safety and daily life across the state. The monitoring group called on all warring parties to halt aerial attacks, cease targeting civilian infrastructure, and adhere to international legal obligations, though the statement did not attribute responsibility for the strike. Conflict Context and Humanitarian Catastrophe The attack occurs amid Sudan's devastating civil war between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which erupted in April 2023. The conflict has killed tens of thousands, displaced approximately 13 million people, and created one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises according to UN assessments. The use of drones against civilian concentrations marks an alarming intensification of tactics in a war already characterized by widespread atrocities and collapsing civilian protections.