Over 150 killed as drone strike engulfs Sudan-border market

A drone strike on a market in the disputed Abyei region along the Sudan-South Sudan border has killed at least 153 people, with officials warning that the death toll could rise as emergency workers continue recovering bodies from the burning site.

Yohana Akol Ngor, caretaker information minister for Abyei, said the casualties from Monday’s attack had increased sharply from an earlier estimate of 73. Fires were still burning on Tuesday, making it difficult for rescue teams to recover the dead. Some victims were reportedly burned beyond recognition.

South Sudanese officials blamed Sudan’s military for the strike, although they did not provide evidence to support the allegation. Sudan’s armed forces had not immediately responded to requests for comment.

The attack has added to the mounting casualties from a series of drone strikes in recent days, pushing the reported death toll from attacks across the region to more than 250. The violence reflects the widening impact of Sudan’s conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Three diplomatic sources, an aid worker and a conflict expert told Reuters that the strike hit a fuel depot inside the market. According to diplomatic sources, the depot had previously been used by the RSF to supply its fighters. The RSF did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

An eyewitness said five powerful explosions set the fuel market ablaze, forcing residents to evacuate the wounded. The witness described seeing numerous people with shrapnel injuries and 28 burned bodies at one location. The witness did not report seeing RSF fighters or other uniformed armed personnel in the market at the time.

The market sold essential goods, including sugar, flour and biscuits, and also served as a trading point for supplies transported into Sudan.

The bombing displaced approximately 8,000 people, according to Ngor. South Sudan’s foreign ministry confirmed that drones had struck a market north of Abyei town and summoned Sudan’s ambassador to protest the attack.

Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said it was treating more than 20 wounded people at Ameth Bek Hospital, including patients suffering from burns. The organisation was providing emergency treatment, surgical services and wound care amid shortages of medical supplies and limited healthcare facilities in the region.

Images from the scene showed burned vehicles, damaged buildings and residents inspecting the destruction. Emergency workers faced significant difficulties recovering bodies because of the continuing fires.

The United Nations strongly condemned the series of drone attacks in Abyei and other parts of Sudan. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warned that repeated strikes on communities and critical infrastructure were worsening conditions for civilians already suffering from years of conflict.

Abyei has remained disputed since South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011. The oil-rich territory is jointly administered, and its unresolved status has contributed to recurring insecurity. It borders Sudan’s Kordofan region, which has emerged as a major battleground in the ongoing war.

Sudanese military officials have said the RSF operates in parts of Abyei, while Ngor denied the group’s presence in the area. The competing claims could not be independently verified.

The UN Interim Security Force for Abyei warned earlier this year that an increased RSF presence had heightened security risks for civilians and UN personnel.

The latest strike comes amid a broader escalation in drone warfare. Attacks in West Kordofan reportedly killed around 84 people and injured 65 on Sunday, according to a local emergency response group. Other recent strikes have targeted Khartoum airport and a market in Nyala, an RSF stronghold.

Sudan’s conflict has also raised regional security concerns, with neighbouring Chad accusing Sudan’s military of conducting drone strikes on its territory. The fighting has drawn in local militias and foreign interests while creating widespread displacement and severe humanitarian needs.