Sudanese army drone strike on traditional court in North Darfur leaves dozens dead

A drone attack launched by the Sudanese armed forces killed at least 35 people and left dozens of others injured after striking a traditional court session in the village of Ghara al-Zawiya, located in North Darfur.

The civil monitoring group Emergency Lawyers reported that multiple missiles hit a customary gathering held under a tree where local elders, community leaders, and residents had assembled to resolve regional disputes. Eyewitness accounts confirmed that the victims included four tribal leaders alongside two commanders from the Rapid Support Forces, which currently holds administrative control over much of the Darfur region.

Human rights observers and legal advocacy groups strongly condemned the attack, characterising the targeting of civilian infrastructure and traditional judicial venues as a violation of international humanitarian law. The incident underscores the growing deployment of uncrewed aerial systems across Sudan’s ongoing civil conflict, which has displaced millions and caused severe humanitarian degradation nationwide.