Nyala marketplace drone hit leaves at least 21 dead in Darfur region

A drone attack on a crowded marketplace in the Darfur city of Nyala has left at least 21 people dead and dozens more wounded, according to local medical personnel and residents cited by news reports.

The strike occurred around 8:00 p.m. local time on Monday in a commercial district situated in the northern sector of Nyala. A medical worker stationed at Nyala Hospital confirmed the casualty count on Tuesday, stating that 21 bodies were brought in following the blast and that more than 40 other individuals were receiving care for their injuries.

Witnesses reported that the targeted bazaar is regularly frequented by armed fighters, especially members of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group. Nyala operates as the main administrative stronghold and de facto regional capital for the RSF, which established a rival government there to challenge the military-led administration based in Khartoum.

Sudanese armed forces have routinely carried out airstrikes against targets in and around Nyala as part of their broader effort to dislodge the paramilitary organization from its strongholds in Darfur. Neither the military nor the RSF had officially issued a statement claiming responsibility or addressing the specific strike by Tuesday.

The broader civil war between Sudan's regular military forces and the RSF erupted in April 2023 following a breakdown in negotiations over military integration. The conflict has since claimed upwards of 200,000 lives nationwide and led to widespread devastation.

The ongoing hostilities have also triggered what humanitarian agencies identify as the world's most severe displacement crisis and caused unprecedented food shortages, leaving millions of civilians across Sudan facing extreme hunger and lacking access to basic medical services.