Sudanese Army Drone Strike Kills 35 at Darfur Court

At least 35 people were killed and several others wounded on Sunday when drones from the Sudanese army struck a traditional court in the village of Garra al-Zawaya in North Darfur. The human rights group Emergency Lawyers reported that the attack occurred around 1 p.m. local time while civilians had gathered for hearings on local cases and tribal disputes. The strike damaged the court building and targeted an area currently under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). A witness told the AFP news agency that the dead included four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders. The RSF condemned the attack as a horrible crime and claimed that 37 people were killed and 50 others wounded. The Sudanese army did not immediately respond to the allegations.

This incident occurs amid a broader civil war that began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the RSF. The conflict has split the country: the army controls the north, east, and center, while the RSF has consolidated power in Darfur and parts of the south. The village of Garra al-Zawaya is located near Kabkabiya, approximately 150 kilometers west of el-Fasher. The RSF captured el-Fasher in October, an offensive that UN investigators said bore the hallmarks of genocide. The RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militias, which were accused of atrocities in Darfur during the early 2000s.

Drone warfare has become a prominent feature of the conflict. The United Nations reports that more than 1,000 civilians were killed in drone strikes during the first five months of this year. The war has displaced millions of people and created what the UN describes as the world's most severe humanitarian crisis. Some reports note that the RSF has been supplied with weapons and soldiers by the United Arab Emirates via Libya, though the UAE denies these claims.