Sudanese Airstrike on Market in Darfur Leaves Hundreds Dead

A recent airstrike on the Tur'rah market in Darfur has resulted in allegations of hundreds of civilian deaths, igniting fierce denunciations against the Sudanese military. As the country grapples with escalating violence and humanitarian crises, the international community remains concerned about the ongoing conflict.

A Sudanese war monitor has raised serious accusations against the military, claiming that an airstrike on the Tur'rah market in the western Darfur region has resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths. The Emergency Lawyers group, which monitors human rights violations amid Sudan's ongoing civil war, described the incident as a "horrific massacre," noting that hundreds more have been injured as a result of the bombing. Graphic footage shared on social media, some of which was posted by the army's adversary, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group in Darfur, depicted the charred remains of market structures and lifeless bodies.

However, a military spokesperson has refuted allegations of civilian targeting, asserting that the military's focus is solely on what it deems legitimate hostile targets. Both the Sudanese armed forces and the RSF have faced accusations of indiscriminately shelling civilian areas throughout the conflict. While the RSF has employed drones in its operations, the Sudanese army maintains control of most aerial attacks, frequently targeting RSF positions across the region.

Although the BBC has been unable to verify the exact number of casualties or the specific timing of this bomb attack, it is reported that the incident occurred around 35km (21 miles) north of el-Fasher, a city under military control. The Darfur Initiative for Justice and Peace, an activist group, has labeled this strike the "deadliest single bombing since the onset of the conflict."

As the clashes escalate, civilian fatalities from airstrikes and shelling have surged, contributing to a dire humanitarian situation in the country. Since the outbreak of war in April 2023, approximately 12 million Sudanese individuals have been displaced from their homes, a figure comparable to the total populations of countries like Belgium or Tunisia. The United Nations has increasingly voiced concerns over widespread famine and severe food insecurity affecting over half of Sudan's population.

Estimates of fatalities due to the conflict suggest that at least 150,000 people have died since clashes began. The RSF has dismissed accusations of committing genocide in Darfur, denying systematic killings and sexual violence against non-Arab women, which some witnesses claim have been used as tools of ethnic cleansing. The United Nations has classified the situation in Sudan as the worst humanitarian crisis currently facing the globe.