A drone strike during a traditional court session in Sudan’s Darfur region has tragically claimed the lives of at least 35 people, with many more injured, as reported by a local rights organization.
The Emergency Lawyers Group, which keeps a close eye on violence against civilians, revealed that the attack took place in Ghara al-Zawiya village, an area under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). They noted that the court session was being held outdoors, attended by local community leaders, when the drones struck.
According to TNT, the gathering was taking place in the open air when the drones targeted it on Sunday afternoon.
As of now, the Sudanese army, which has faced accusations of being behind the attack, has not issued any comments regarding the incident.
Witnesses reported that among the deceased were four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders. A resident quoted by Darfur 24, a private news outlet, mentioned that two drones flew over the village before unleashing more than four missiles on the gathering.
This strike occurs amidst ongoing clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which continue to devastate the country. The RSF has a stronghold in much of the Darfur region, and this conflict, now entering its third year, has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands, displaced millions, and sparked one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
The Emergency Lawyers Group has condemned this attack, calling for an independent investigation and labeling the targeting of a traditional court session as a serious breach of international humanitarian law.
