At Least 35 Killed In Sudan Drone Attack

At least 35 people were killed and several others injured after Sudanese army drones struck a traditional court in the Darfur region, according to a rights group.

The Emergency Lawyers group said the attack took place on Sunday in the village of Garra al-Zawaya in North Darfur at around 1:00pm local time.

According to the group, civilians had gathered at the court to attend hearings on local disputes when the drones struck. The court, which serves as a traditional forum for resolving community and tribal conflicts, was also damaged.

The village is currently under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

A local witness said the court session was being held under a tree with the participation of community leaders when the strike occurred. The witness claimed those killed included four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders.

Sudan has been engulfed in civil war since April 2023, with fighting between forces loyal to RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and the Sudanese army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.

Garra al-Zawaya is located near Kabkabiya, about 150 kilometres west of El Fasher, the army's former stronghold in Darfur that was captured by the RSF following a major offensive in October last year.

UN investigators have said the violence surrounding the siege and capture of El Fasher showed "the hallmarks of genocide."

Since then, both sides have increasingly relied on drone attacks. According to the United Nations, more than 1,000 civilians were killed in drone strikes during the first five months of this year.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and triggered what the UN describes as the world's largest humanitarian crisis.