Drone strike on a market in disputed African region of Abyei kills at least 153

A drone strike hit Amiet Market around 11 a.m. Monday, according to Yohanna Akol Ngor, Abyei’s caretaker information minister. A fire followed, and Ngor said 153 people had died, with the toll still rising. The market serves the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities.

Abyei officials and South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry blamed Sudan’s military. They said the attack struck several market locations, causing civilian deaths and extensive property damage. Sudan’s military gave a different account. A senior officer said the army targeted fuel tankers arriving from South Sudan for the paramilitary RSF.

The military officer said the dead were RSF members and fuel smugglers, not civilians. The Associated Press could not independently verify the targets or victims’ identities. The strike allegedly occurred outside the demilitarized zone, while medical teams treated more than 20 wounded people at Ameth Bek Hospital.

Abyei is an oil-rich region between Sudan and South Sudan. It is also home to communities with competing political and economic interests. The Ngok Dinka, who form the region’s majority, favor joining South Sudan. Misseriya nomads use Abyei’s pastures and favor remaining with Sudan.

The dispute is tied to both identity and access to land. Abyei’s markets and grazing areas serve communities on both sides of the border. The region has also experienced deadly communal violence, including fighting over land between Ngok Dinka and neighboring Twic Dinka communities.

Abyei’s status has remained unresolved for years. The 2005 peace agreement did not settle it, and independence for South Sudan in 2011 did not resolve the question. A planned referendum stalled because Sudan and South Sudan disagreed over who could vote, leaving the region politically unsettled.

The reported human toll was severe. Yohanna Akol Ngor said 153 people had died by Tuesday, and he warned that the number could rise while the fire continued. Doctors Without Borders reported receiving more than 20 wounded patients at Ameth Bek Hospital, including people with burns and several critical cases.

The figures describe different groups, so they should not be added into one exact total. The 153 figure referred to reported deaths. The hospital figure counted wounded people brought for treatment. Medical teams from MSF worked alongside South Sudan’s Health Ministry staff to care for them.

The physical damage was also broad. South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said several locations inside the market were hit, causing extensive property damage. The market’s fuel depot supplied local businesses. MSF warned that attacks on civilian infrastructure can make it harder for people to reach healthcare and other essential services safely.

Sudan’s military is the national army. The Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, are a paramilitary force. The two groups are opposing armed actors in Sudan’s current war. Their fighting has devastated large parts of the country and raised fears about instability along neighboring borders.

The conflict began in April 2023, according to the article. That date explains why the groups are described as being in a continuing war rather than a brief dispute. The article does not provide the political or military reasons the fighting began, so no specific cause can be established from this source.

Their conflict now affects places beyond Sudan’s main battle areas. The military said its strike near Abyei targeted fuel tankers allegedly bound for the RSF. Abyei officials and South Sudan rejected that account and blamed the army for civilian deaths. The competing claims show how the war is affecting border security and local communities.

Civilian infrastructure supports everyday survival. Markets provide food and goods, fuel depots supply local businesses, and hospitals treat the injured. When attacks hit these places, the harm spreads beyond the immediate blast or fire. People may lose income, supplies, transport, medical care, or safe routes to essential services.

Amiet Market shows this chain clearly. The strike and resulting fire reportedly killed 153 people. More than 20 wounded patients reached Ameth Bek Hospital, including burn victims and critical cases. South Sudan said multiple market locations were hit, causing extensive property damage. Ngor said the fuel depot supplied local businesses.

The longer-term danger is reduced access to care and commerce. MSF said people must be able to reach healthcare and other essential services safely. It called on all parties to stop attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. Damage to a trading hub can therefore deepen hardship even after the fire ends.

The 2005 peace agreement ended decades of civil war but did not resolve Abyei’s political status. That left the oil-rich region in an uncertain position as Sudan and southern communities faced the question of which country should control it.

South Sudan became independent in 2011, yet Abyei’s future remained unsettled. The region’s Ngok Dinka majority favored joining the new country. Misseriya nomads, who use Abyei’s pastures, favored Sudan. These competing interests made a clear political settlement difficult.

A referendum was proposed to decide the region’s future, but it stalled over disagreement about eligibility. Sudan and South Sudan did not agree on who should vote. Without an accepted vote or another settlement, Abyei remained disputed. The continuing uncertainty has accompanied communal violence, including land-related fighting involving Ngok Dinka and neighboring Twic Dinka communities.

A demilitarized zone is an area that opposing sides agree to keep free of military forces or activities. Its purpose is to reduce the risk of fighting in a sensitive area and protect people there. The article reports that Sudan’s military said the strike occurred outside Abyei’s demilitarized zone.

As a general rule under the laws of armed conflict, a legitimate military target must make an effective contribution to military action, and attacking it must offer a definite military advantage. Civilians and civilian objects, such as markets and hospitals, are protected. Parties must distinguish military targets from civilians and take precautions to limit harm.

The article presents competing claims about Amiet Market. Sudan’s military said it targeted fuel tankers allegedly bound for the RSF and said it did not target civilians. Abyei officials said the strike hit the market and caused civilian casualties. The Associated Press could not independently verify the targets or victims’ identities.