SHENDI, Sudan — More than 100 people were killed in a Sudanese military drone strike on a busy market in Nyala, the capital city of the South Darfur province in southwestern Sudan, said Emergency Lawyers, a rights group tracking violence in the country, in a statement Tuesday, reports BritPanorama.
The strike, which occurred on Monday evening, also injured 113 people. Many of those killed and injured were women and children. The group attributed responsibility for the strike to the Sudanese military and condemned the attack.
“This massacre transformed a civilian marketplace into a scene of mass killing and injury and is an assault that threatens the lives of residents and compounds their suffering amid the ongoing war,” the group stated, calling for an independent investigation into the incident.
Doctors Without Borders, known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), reported that 36 bodies were received at its Nyala hospital, which also saw 150 injured patients in its emergency room. Notably, Nyala is controlled by the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been in conflict with the Sudanese army since 2023.
Drone warfare has become a significant feature of the ongoing conflict, with a recent escalation of drone strikes by both the RSF and the Sudanese army resulting in hundreds of casualties. Both parties have increasingly deployed explosive-laden drones that target civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and markets, with drone strikes identified as the deadliest threat to civilians by the U.N.
This ongoing conflict has resulted in the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with approximately 34 million people, nearly two-thirds of Sudan’s population, in need of assistance, according to U.N. estimates.
The war in Sudan began in April 2023, following tensions between the military and the RSF that exploded into armed conflict in the capital, Khartoum, and subsequently spread across the country.
Previous strike leaves parts of Sudan without power
Larger areas of Sudan’s capital were without electricity for more than 12 hours following a drone strike on a major power substation, according to an electric company official.
The attack rendered hospitals and bakeries reliant on generators while limiting water supplies throughout Khartoum.
The state-run Sudanese Electricity Distribution Company acknowledged “serious damage and technical faults” to the distribution network but did not specify the reason in its statement. An apology was extended to residents across Khartoum state for ongoing outages.
An anonymous official stated to The Associated Press that a drone attack hit the Al-Markhiyat transformer station in Omdurman, a location on the outskirts of Khartoum. This marked the second incident at the station this year, attributed to the paramilitary RSF.
Both rival forces have executed drone attacks across Sudan, though such strikes have become infrequent in Khartoum following the Sudanese military’s control of the capital in May 2025, marking a brutal phase of conflict with the RSF.
The U.N. has raised alarms regarding the utilization of drones in Sudan, as they have resulted in civilian casualties, including children, and disruption of essential services.
Technical teams continue to assess damage from the recent strike, with estimates suggesting that 60% of the power supply in the capital may be affected, particularly impacting water supply stations.
A resident near the Al-Markhiyat transformer station recalled hearing a drone shortly before the explosion. “At around 4:30 in the morning, on my way to dawn prayers, I heard the sound of a drone very close by, and just moments later, a huge explosion, and the power went out,” said Abdel-Hafiz Abdel-Mutaal. “I saw fire burning at the transformer station.”
Khartoum experienced widespread darkness after sundown, with resident Adel Ali noting that he was without power and water for 17 hours. “My main concern is how to preserve my insulin supply, which needs a fridge,” he stated, emphasizing the paralysis of daily life without electricity as the bread crisis looms with many bakeries shutting down.
The electricity company indicated that power rationing would extend longer than usual until repairs are completed, but provided no specific timeline. Technical teams are reportedly working tirelessly to restore service.
The conflict has resulted in at least 59,000 deaths, according to conflict monitor ACLED, although aid groups contend that the actual figure is likely higher. Over 67% of Sudan’s population relies on aid, with 825,000 children facing acute malnutrition.
Additionally, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification has warned of a worsening humanitarian situation across greater Darfur and Kordofan states, with food insecurity raising the risk of famine.
A joint statement from over 30 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Commission, urged all parties involved in the conflict to “lift all impediments on humanitarian assistance.”
