54 Killed in Sudan Military Airstrike on Market

On Tuesday, humanitarian organizations in Sudan reported that at least 54 people were killed in a military airstrike that targeted a local market in the western part of the country. The attack, which occurred on Monday, struck the village of Tora in North Darfur, igniting a massive fire, according to Adam Rejal, a spokesperson for the General Coordination, a local organization supporting displaced people in Darfur.

Brigadier General Nabil Abdullah, a spokesperson for the Sudanese military, denied that civilians were targeted, calling the accusations "incorrect." He stated that such claims are often made when the military exercises its constitutional and legal rights to address hostile threats.

The airstrike severely damaged Tora's weekly market, which lies about 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. Support Darfur Victims, a local group helping those affected by the Darfur conflict, released harrowing footage showing burnt structures and lifeless bodies in the aftermath of the strike.

Rejal reported that more than half of the casualties were women, and at least 23 people were injured, with seven others still missing. He condemned the attack as “a crime against humanity” and a blatant violation of international and humanitarian laws.

The strike on Monday is the latest in a series of deadly assaults amid the ongoing conflict that has engulfed Sudan since April 2023. The war began when tensions between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalated into full-scale violence. The conflict has decimated cities, including the capital, Khartoum, claiming over 28,000 lives and displacing millions. Famine has worsened, with some families forced to resort to eating grass to survive.

In recent months, the Sudanese military has made notable gains against the RSF, reclaiming key strategic locations, including the Republican Palace in Khartoum in March. However, the conflict continues to be marked by war crimes, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings, particularly in Darfur, which have drawn condemnation from the United Nations and international human rights groups.

Despite these advances, the situation in Sudan remains dire, with attacks continuing daily as the humanitarian crisis deepens.