Drone Attack Kills 43 In Sudan's Capital Amid 5-Month-Long Conflict Between Army, Paramilitary Forces: Report

A drone attack on an open market south of Sudan's capital, Khartoum, killed at least 43 people as the military and a powerful rival paramilitary group battle for control of the country.

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A drone attack struck an open market south of Khartoum, Sudan's capital, on Sunday (September 10), claiming the lives of at least 43 people, news agency Associated Press (AP) reported citing activists and a medical organisation. The attack occurred as the military and a formidable rival paramilitary group vie for control of the nation.

More than 55 people were injured during the incident in Khartoum's May neighbourhood, which was heavily fortified with paramilitary forces engaged in clashes with the military, according to the report. The Sudan Doctors' Union reported that the casualties were transported to the Bashair University Hospital for medical treatment, AP reported. 

Citing the Resistance Committees, the report said: "An activist group involved in humanitarian aid efforts, shared footage on social media revealing bodies covered in white sheets in an open area at the hospital".

Sudan has been gripped by turmoil since mid-April when tensions erupted into open confrontations between the country's military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, under the command of Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

According to the report, the RSF has accused the military's air force of carrying out the Sunday attack, though independent verification of the claim is not yet available. In Sudan's ongoing conflict, both sides have used indiscriminate artillery barrages and airstrikes, turning the Greater Khartoum area into a battleground.

The conflict has since expanded to multiple regions within the country. In the Greater Khartoum area, encompassing Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri, RSF troops have taken over civilian residences, converting them into operational bases. In response, the military has reportedly launched airstrikes on residential areas, as asserted by human rights organizations and activists.

In the western Darfur region, where a genocidal campaign took place in the early 2000s, the conflict has evolved into ethnic violence. The RSF and allied Arab militias have targeted ethnic African groups, according to reports from rights groups and the United Nations.

According to August figures from the United Nations, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 4,000 individuals. However, doctors and activists insist that the actual death toll is likely much higher.

The number of internally displaced persons has nearly doubled since mid-April, reaching a staggering 7.1 million people, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. An additional 1.1 million individuals have sought refuge in neighboring countries.