Dozens killed in devastating Darfur market strike amid ongoing conflict

At least 54 people perished in a devastating airstrike on a local market in Sudan’s western Darfur region, according to humanitarian organizations documenting the escalating civilian toll in the protracted conflict.

Monday’s aerial bombardment targeted the village of Tora, located 80 kilometers north of El-Fasher, North Darfur’s provincial capital. The attack devastated a crowded weekly market, triggering an extensive fire that consumed structures and claimed numerous lives. More than half the casualties were women, with an additional 23 people wounded and seven reported missing.

Military spokesperson Brigadier General Nabil Abdullah denied targeting civilians, dismissing the allegations as “incorrect” while asserting that forces were exercising their “constitutional and legal right to deal with hostile targets.” This contradicts documentation from multiple humanitarian groups that characterized the strike as hitting “an area densely populated with civilians.”

The Emergency Lawyers, a coalition tracking war violations, condemned the attack as a “systematic war crime” and called for independent investigations to establish accountability through international courts. Local organization Support Darfur Victims documented the aftermath, revealing destroyed infrastructure and numerous casualties.

This incident represents the latest atrocity in a conflict that erupted in April 2023 when tensions between the military and Rapid Support Forces escalated into nationwide warfare. While government forces have recently recaptured significant territories including Khartoum’s Republican Palace, el-Fasher remains under military control despite near-daily RSF strikes.

The war has claimed over 28,000 lives, displaced millions, and pushed parts of the country toward famine. Human rights organizations have documented widespread atrocities including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, particularly in Darfur, that potentially constitute crimes against humanity.