At least 150 killed in drone strike near market in Sudan's Abyei region

The civil war in Sudan has taken a grim turn. At least 150 people have been killed in a drone attack near a market in Abyei. The attack has caused great alarm in the area and has once again raised the question of the safety of innocent civilians.

Abyei is a disputed region on the border between Sudan and South Sudan. It is now in the grip of extreme violence. The drone attack on the Amiet market there took place on Monday, October 19. According to local authorities, at least 153 people were killed in the attack.

After the attack, a fuel depot in the market caught fire, making the situation even worse. Many people have been seriously burnt in the fire, and the death toll is feared to rise. The dead include women and children.

Two different accounts have emerged of who carried out the attack. Officials of the Abyei administration have held the Sudanese army responsible. On the other hand, a senior official linked to the Sudanese army said that fuel tankers had been the target. The army suspected that the tankers were headed for an area held by the RSF. The army claims, however, that civilians were not targeted in the operation. Serious questions are nevertheless being raised about the operation because of the deaths of civilians in the market.

A civil war has been under way in Sudan since April 2023 between the government army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict is escalating by the day. The war, which began as a power struggle, has now engulfed areas along the country's borders as well. Khartoum alleges that RSF fighters are hiding in the disputed area near South Sudan.

A missile attack in Sudan a few days ago had killed 51 people. Before the impact of that attack had eased, there has again been heavy loss of life.

There is anger in South Sudan over the attack. South Sudan has summoned Sudan's ambassador and lodged a protest. The United Nations has also condemned the attack and expressed concern over the safety of civilians. Doctors involved in relief work are treating the injured.