A Sudanese rights group on Tuesday accused the army of launching an airstrike on a market in a rebel-held town, potentially marking one of the war's deadliest attacks in nearly two years.
The Emergency Lawyers, a group of volunteer legal professionals and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reported that the strike in North Darfur’s Tora market resulted in hundreds of casualties.
The alleged attack comes just days after the army reclaimed the presidential palace in Khartoum, marking a major victory against the RSF.
The Emergency Lawyers, which document war crimes on both sides, said army warplanes conducted "an indiscriminate airstrike on Tora market in North Darfur, killing hundreds of civilians and seriously wounding dozens."
The RSF, which holds nearly all of Darfur and has been accused by the U.S. of committing genocide, condemned the "massacre," claiming the strike left hundreds dead or wounded.
A spokesperson for the Emergency Lawyers, speaking anonymously for security reasons, told the Agence Franse-Presse (AFP) that an exact death toll could not immediately be determined due to the number of charred bodies still being counted.
Independent verification was not possible, as the AFP was unable to reach local medics due to a telecommunications blackout in Darfur.
The Sudanese army, which has been fighting the RSF since April 2023, did not respond to requests for comment.
Footage circulating on social media purportedly showed charred bodies and smoking debris in the aftermath of the strike. AFP could not verify the authenticity of the videos but residents say the Tora market draws crowds from surrounding areas each week.
Since the war erupted, tens of thousands of people have been killed, while over 12 million have been displaced, creating what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst hunger and displacement crisis.
The exact number of casualties has been difficult to determine due to the near-collapse of Sudan’s health care system. Some estimates, including one from former U.S. Sudan envoy Tom Perriello in May 2023, suggest the death toll could be as high as 150,000.
Attacks on markets, villages and displacement camps have repeatedly resulted in mass casualties. In December, the Emergency Lawyers reported a similar airstrike in North Darfur that killed over 100 people. The United Nations confirmed at least 80 deaths from that attack.
Last month, an RSF assault on villages in central Sudan reportedly left hundreds dead. The army-backed government put the toll at 433, while independent monitors estimated over 200 deaths.
The war’s worst violence has been concentrated in Darfur, a region the size of France. Reports from humanitarian organizations indicate the use of barrel bombs in civilian areas, RSF-led attacks on famine-stricken displacement camps and widespread ethnic violence.
While the RSF has deployed high-tech drones in the region, the army maintains aerial superiority with warplanes that regularly strike RSF positions.
The North Darfur state capital, el-Fasher, located east of Tora, remains the only regional capital not under RSF control. The paramilitary group has besieged the city for ten months, frequently targeting nearby displacement camps.
Analysts warn that the RSF may escalate its operations to strengthen its hold on Darfur following its recent defeats in Khartoum. The army’s recapture of the presidential palace on Friday marked a strategic gain, as clearing operations have since driven RSF fighters from key government buildings.
Since the war began, both sides have been accused of targeting civilians. Reports cite indiscriminate shelling of markets and residential areas. The RSF, in particular, has faced allegations of ethnically motivated mass killings, systematic sexual violence and looting.
Despite diplomatic efforts, Sudan’s conflict shows no sign of abating, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the violence.
