Sudan: Drone Strikes 'Kill 100+' in South Darfur Market As Sudan Power Stations Targeted

Tangong Market was hit by a drone strike on Tuesday in the Dumaya neighbourhood of Nyala. Reports from the Sudan Liberation Movement Transitional Council said more than 100 civilians died and many others were injured. Other reports said RSF members were also among the dead. Videos showed large parts of the market burning.

Nyala is a major city in South Darfur, in western Sudan. The location matters because South Darfur is one of the areas affected by Sudan’s wider conflict. A busy market is normally a place where civilians shop, work, and gather, so an attack there can cause heavy casualties and disrupt daily life.

The strike was part of a broader rise in drone attacks across Sudan. The article also reports attacks on electricity infrastructure in Khartoum State, El Gedaref, Sennar, White Nile, and El Gezira. The UN Human Rights Office recorded more than 306 deaths from drone attacks during the first three weeks of October.

A drone strike is an attack carried out by an unmanned aircraft. The aircraft may be piloted remotely or follow programmed instructions. It can carry explosives or other weapons and may use cameras, satellite links, or other sensors to locate and monitor a target. The operator and launch site can be far from the impact area.

The basic mechanism is remote control. Sensors send images or other information to operators, who identify a target and guide the drone. The drone then releases a weapon or strikes the target itself. This distance can reduce risks to the attacking force, while making warning and identification difficult for people on the ground.

In the article, drones struck Tangong Market in Nyala and the El Markhiyat electricity substation in Omdurman. Other strikes hit power facilities in several states. The UN Human Rights Office recorded more than 306 deaths from drone attacks during the first three weeks of October.

The reported death toll at Tangong Market was more than 100 civilians. Many others were injured, but the article gives no exact injury figure. Other reports said members of the Rapid Support Forces were also among those killed. The UN Human Rights Office recorded more than 306 deaths from drone attacks during the first three weeks of October.

The attacks were not limited to Nyala. In Omdurman, a drone hit the El Markhiyat electricity substation. On Monday, strikes targeted power stations in El Faw and El Hawa in western El Gedaref State, as well as facilities in Sennar, White Nile, and El Gezira states. These attacks caused power cuts across large areas.

This spread shows an escalation against both civilian gathering places and essential infrastructure. The article reports disruption across Khartoum, Omdurman, and El Gezira State, along with several knocked-out drinking-water stations. It attributes the Omdurman attack to the RSF, while reports described RSF members among the Nyala dead.

Power stations support far more than lighting. Electricity runs water pumps, treatment systems, refrigerators, communications, medical equipment, and many businesses. When a station is damaged, homes may lose power, water systems may stop, and essential services can become harder to operate. The article directly reports electricity cuts and several disabled drinking-water stations.

In Omdurman, a strike on the El Markhiyat electricity substation disrupted supplies across parts of Khartoum, Omdurman, and El Gezira State. Witnesses described explosions, flames, and thick smoke. The article also reports strikes on power stations in El Gedaref and facilities in Sennar, White Nile, and El Gezira, causing wider power cuts.

The article does not report specific hospital damage. However, hospitals generally depend on reliable electricity for treatment, lighting, refrigeration, communications, and backup systems. Extended outages can therefore affect patients and staff, while households may struggle to obtain water, charge phones, preserve food, or continue work and schooling.

The Rapid Support Forces, commonly called the RSF, are a paramilitary armed force in Sudan. “Paramilitary” means a force organized and operating in a military-like way, but separate from a country’s regular army. The article identifies the RSF as one of the warring parties and links it to attacks during the current conflict.

The article reports that the Omdurman strike on the El Markhiyat electricity substation was attributed to the RSF. It also says other sources reported RSF members among those killed at Tangong Market. These details show the RSF’s reported connection to both fighting forces and the wider pattern of drone attacks.

The article does not name the RSF’s opposing force. It describes an escalation involving “the warring parties” and says attacks are hitting civilian infrastructure and markets. Wajdi Saleh called for all warring parties to stop fighting, accept a humanitarian truce, and work toward a permanent ceasefire.

Civilian infrastructure means places and systems mainly serving the public rather than conducting military operations. Markets provide food and income. Power stations supply homes, hospitals, businesses, and water systems. These functions make them vital to civilian survival. Their protection matters even during intense fighting.

Fighters may sometimes be present near a market or utility. That fact alone does not erase its civilian character. Under international humanitarian law, an attack must distinguish military targets from civilian objects. If a civilian object is being used for military action, its legal status can become more complex, but attackers still must assess military advantage, civilian harm, and precautions.

The article reports deaths at Tangong Market and disruption after attacks on electricity facilities. It says several drinking-water stations were knocked out. Wajdi Saleh described attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure as serious violations of international humanitarian law and urged a humanitarian truce and permanent ceasefire.

International humanitarian law is the body of rules that applies during armed conflict. Its central purpose is to reduce suffering and protect people who are not taking part in fighting. It also limits how military force may be used. The rules require parties to distinguish civilians and civilian objects from fighters and military targets.

The rules prohibit deliberately attacking civilians and require attacks to be directed at lawful military objectives. Even when a military target is involved, expected civilian harm cannot be excessive compared with the anticipated military advantage. Attackers must take feasible precautions, including checking targets and reducing risks to civilians. The wounded and detainees must also be treated humanely.

The article applies this concern to Tangong Market, electricity infrastructure, and drinking-water stations. Wajdi Saleh said attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure were serious violations of international humanitarian law. He called on the warring parties to halt fighting, agree to a humanitarian truce, and pursue a permanent ceasefire.