A drone strike near a market in southern Sudan on Sunday evening killed 80 people, predominantly commuters catching rides home. The attack occurred in the town of al-Dibab in West Kordofan state.

Witnesses described the devastating impact of the strike, which hit a transport hub where people gathered after market day. Ahmed Wadi, a witness, stated he helped bury 50 bodies, including his brother's, and reported that another 47 injured individuals were transported to the nearest town, al-Mujlad. A medical source, speaking anonymously for safety, confirmed that 30 of those transported later died from their injuries, bringing the total death toll to 80. The same source noted an additional drone strike in al-Mujlad injured four people.

Wadi reported that the drone struck the transport hub twice, with a 10-minute interval between attacks. This incident marks one of the most lethal single attacks since the conflict began in April 2023. The war is a power struggle between the Sudanese armed forces (SAF), led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

The RSF-declared administration for West Kordofan state, known as Tasis, accused the army of carrying out Sunday's strike. The region of West Kordofan is currently under RSF control. The use of drones has significantly escalated in the ongoing conflict.

Data indicates that between January and April of the current year, drone strikes were responsible for at least 880 civilian deaths, accounting for over 80% of all conflict-related civilian fatalities in Sudan. This highlights a concerning trend in the nature of warfare in the country.

Just days prior, on Friday, drone strikes targeted a busy livestock market in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state. The SAF claimed to have killed RSF fighters in that incident, but the RSF alleged that 30 civilians were killed. Such accusations and counter-accusations are common amidst the conflict.

The broader conflict in Sudan has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and displaced a significant portion of the population. Reports suggest that foreign powers have been fueling the fighting, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Unresolved questions remain regarding the precise targeting of the drone strike in al-Dibab and the extent of external involvement in supplying and directing the use of such weaponry.