Sudan army drone attack on Darfur kills 35, rights group says

A drone attack targeting a traditional court in western Sudan's Darfur region has resulted in significant civilian casualties. The Emergency Lawyers group, which monitors abuses in Sudan's ongoing conflict, documented the strike on a court facility in Garra al-Zawaya village in North Darfur state. The attack killed at least 35 people and wounded several others, occurring around midday local time on Sunday.

The court serves as an informal institution for resolving local and tribal disputes within the community. At the time of the strike, civilians had gathered to attend hearings on various cases. According to a witness account provided to AFP, the court session was being conducted outdoors beneath a tree, with participation from local community leaders. Among those killed were four tribal leaders and two commanders from the Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary group controlling the village.

The location sits approximately 150 kilometers west of el-Fasher, which remains the Sudanese army's last stronghold in the Darfur region. The RSF captured el-Fasher following a significant military offensive in October of the previous year. UN investigators have characterized the violence associated with the RSF's siege and capture of el-Fasher as bearing hallmarks of genocide.

Drone warfare has become increasingly prevalent in the Sudan conflict since the RSF's consolidation of control over much of Darfur. According to UN data, more than 1,000 civilians were killed in drone strikes during the first five months of the current year. The broader conflict, which began in April 2023 between RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, creating what the UN describes as the world's largest humanitarian crisis.