Drone strike on market in disputed Sudan border region kills at least 153

At least 153 people were reported killed after a drone strike hit Amiet Market in Abyei on Monday. The blast struck a nearby fuel depot, and the resulting fire continued burning as officials counted casualties. Abyei is a disputed border region claimed by Sudan and South Sudan.

Yohanna Akol Ngor, Abyei’s caretaker information minister, said the attack hit the market north of Abyei town at about 11am. A senior Sudanese military officer said the army targeted fuel tankers arriving from South Sudan. He said they were outside the demilitarised zone and bound for the Rapid Support Forces.

The officer said the victims were RSF members and fuel smugglers, but the Associated Press could not independently verify that account. South Sudan and Abyei officials blamed Sudan’s military. The United Nations condemned drone attacks near Amiet Market and Todach, without identifying the attacker.

A drone strike is an attack carried out by an unmanned aircraft controlled remotely or operating through programmed systems. Drones can deliver weapons without placing a pilot directly over the target. In Abyei, the reported strike mattered because it hit a crowded trading area and a nearby fuel depot.

Fuel is highly flammable. When a weapon hits stored fuel or tankers, fire can spread quickly and burn people, buildings, and goods. The article reports that the depot fire was still burning as the death toll rose. South Sudan said multiple locations in the market were hit, causing civilian casualties and extensive property damage.

The United Nations said dozens of civilians, including women and children, were killed and many injured. Firefighters and medical personnel were sent to the scene. The Sudanese military disputed the civilian account, saying it targeted fuel tankers rather than civilians, but the AP could not independently verify the targets or victims’ identities.

The reported death toll was at least 153 people after the strike and fire at Amiet Market. Medecins Sans Frontieres said more than 20 wounded people reached Ameth Bek Hospital, including several critical cases and patients with burns. The United Nations described dozens of civilian deaths and many injuries near Amiet Market and Todach.

The numbers differ because authorities and aid groups were reporting at different stages. Yohanna Akol Ngor said the toll was continuing to rise while the fire burned. The United Nations said many people remained missing and expected the toll to increase as casualty checks continued.

UNISFA, the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei, was verifying casualties. Its personnel provided medical support, firefighting, evacuation help, and quick reaction forces. These tasks could identify additional victims and locate missing people, while hospital teams continued treating serious injuries.

Sudan’s military is the country’s army. The Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, are a paramilitary force. They have been fighting each other since April 2023, a conflict that has devastated large parts of Sudan and threatened stability along its borders.

A senior Sudanese military officer said the army’s drone strike targeted fuel tankers arriving from South Sudan. He claimed the tankers were bound for the RSF and that those killed were RSF members or people involved in fuel smuggling. The strike therefore reflected the wider war’s reach into a disputed border region.

The officer said, “We do not target civilians.” However, the Associated Press could not independently verify the alleged targets or the identities of those killed. Abyei’s administration and South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry blamed Sudan’s military and described the victims and damage as civilian. The UN did not identify the attacker.

The strike’s immediate consequences were deadly injuries, burns, fire, and property damage. The United Nations reported that civilians, including women and children, were killed, while MSF treated more than 20 wounded people at Ameth Bek Hospital. The depot supplied local businesses, so the attack also threatened everyday trade.

Amiet Market is a trading hub serving the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities. Fuel supports transport, shops, and other local activity, so destroying a depot can disrupt commerce beyond the blast site. South Sudan said multiple locations in the market were hit, causing extensive damage. The fire also required emergency firefighting and evacuation efforts.

UNISFA deployed medical personnel, firefighting resources, and quick reaction forces. MSF worked with South Sudan’s Health Ministry and warned that attacks could make it harder for people to reach healthcare and essential services safely. MSF urged all parties to stop attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Abyei’s political problem began before South Sudan became independent. The 2005 peace agreement ended decades of civil war but left the oil-rich region’s status unresolved. The agreement did not produce a settled answer about whether Abyei belonged with Sudan or South Sudan.

When South Sudan became independent in 2011, Abyei remained disputed rather than being clearly assigned to either country. A proposed referendum was supposed to help determine the region’s future, but it stalled because Sudan and South Sudan disagreed about who should be allowed to vote.

The disagreement reflects the region’s communities and their interests. The majority Ngok Dinka population favours joining South Sudan. Misseriya nomads, who use Abyei’s pastures, favour Sudan. Without agreement on political status and eligibility, the referendum could not proceed, leaving Abyei vulnerable to further tension and violence.

Border disputes like Abyei’s are difficult because sovereignty determines which country governs the land, while local communities depend on that land in different ways. The 2005 peace agreement left Abyei’s status unresolved, and South Sudan’s 2011 independence did not settle whether the region belonged to Sudan or South Sudan.

Voting rights are central because a referendum can only decide the future if the sides agree who represents the population. Abyei’s majority Ngok Dinka population favours joining South Sudan. Misseriya nomads favour Sudan and use the region’s pastures. Those competing claims connect political control with land, movement, and access to grazing.

The dispute also exists alongside deadly communal violence. The article notes fighting over land between Ngok Dinka and neighbouring Twic Dinka communities. These overlapping claims make diplomatic agreement harder and help explain why South Sudan urged Sudan to address Abyei through diplomatic channels rather than actions endangering civilians.