Sudan Army Drone Attack on Darfur Kills 35, Rights Group Reports

At least 35 people were killed and several others injured when Sudanese army drones targeted a traditional court in western Darfur on Sunday. The Emergency Lawyers group reported that the strike hit a court in the village of Garra al-Zawaya, North Darfur state, around 1 p.m. local time. Civilians had gathered at the court, which serves as a local institution for resolving disputes, when the attack occurred.

The village of Garra al-Zawaya is under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Among the casualties were four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders, according to a witness who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity for safety reasons. The court building itself sustained damage in the strike. The village is located near Kabkabiya, approximately 150 kilometers west of el-Fasher, the army's last significant stronghold in Darfur.

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The court session was being held under a tree with the participation of local community leaders.

This latest attack occurs amidst the ongoing civil war between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, which began in April 2023. The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions, creating what the United Nations describes as the world's largest humanitarian crisis. Both sides have increasingly employed drone warfare, with the UN reporting over 1,000 civilian deaths from drone strikes in the first five months of this year alone.

United Nations investigators have previously noted that violence associated with the RSF's siege and capture of el-Fasher bore "the hallmarks of genocide." The RSF, which originated from the Janjaweed militia known for atrocities in Darfur in the early 2000s, has consolidated control over much of the region.

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The hallmarks of genocide