The Sudanese military is accused of conducting a fatal airstrike on a market in Darfur, resulting in hundreds of deaths and raising alarms over escalating violence in the region's civil conflict.
Sudan's Military Allegedly Conducts Deadly Airstrike on Darfur Market
Sudan's Military Allegedly Conducts Deadly Airstrike on Darfur Market
Eyewitness reports and war monitors claim hundreds were killed in a bombing, calling it one of the war's deadliest attacks.
A recent airstrike on a market in Darfur, Sudan, has been described as a "horrific massacre" by local war monitors, with allegations that hundreds of civilians have been killed. The Emergency Lawyers group, which tracks human rights abuses amidst the ongoing civil war that began in April 2023, stated that the attack on Tur'rah market was one of the most devastating incidents since the conflict escalated.
Social media footage, reportedly shared by the rival paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF), depicts the aftermath of the bombing, showcasing smoking ruins and bodies burned beyond recognition. In response, a military spokesperson from the Sudanese armed forces has denied targeting civilians, asserting that they only strike legitimate military targets.
Tensions have heightened as both the army and the RSF, which has significant control over the Darfur region, have faced criticism for targeting civilian areas. While the RSF employs drones, it’s the army that possesses warplanes, frequently conducting airstrikes against RSF positions throughout the area.
The date of the airstrike remains unverified, but the Darfur Initiative for Justice and Peace, an activist organization, reported that the incident occurred on Monday, declaring it the "deadliest single bombing" since the conflict began. Civilian casualties from bombings have surged in recent months as hostilities intensify.
The UN estimates that around 12 million Sudanese have fled their homes since the war erupted, an exodus comparable to the entire populations of Belgium or Tunisia. Widespread famine and severe food insecurity have gripped the nation, further complicating an already dire humanitarian situation. Reports suggest at least 150,000 lives have been lost to the violence.
Meanwhile, the RSF has refuted accusations of committing genocide in Darfur, including the systematic murder of civilians and acts of sexual violence as ethnic cleansing strategies. The United Nations has categorized Sudan's present circumstances as the world's gravest humanitarian crisis, a situation further aggravated by ongoing conflicts between military factions.
For continuous updates on Sudanese affairs, further reports can be accessed via BBC Africa’s platforms.
