Dozens killed in airstrike on market in Abyei; Juba protests to Khartoum
A drone attack on a market in Abyei resulted in dozens of deaths, prompting South Sudan to protest to Khartoum amid escalating war in Sudan.
Translated by Qiyas from الوسط — Original source
Dozens of civilians were killed and others injured in a drone strike targeting a major market in the disputed Abyei region between Sudan and South Sudan, amid conflicting casualty figures that prompted the South Sudanese government to summon the Sudanese ambassador to Juba to protest the attack. This came amid an escalation of drone warfare in several Sudanese states, with strikes hitting power facilities and residential areas in Khartoum and Kordofan, while the Sudanese army announced it had repelled a new offensive by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), in the Blue Nile state.
Abyei authorities said the attack targeted the Amit market, known in Sudan as the “Ostrich Market,” resulting in 53 deaths and 27 injuries according to initial figures. However, Yohana Akol Ngur, the acting Minister of Information in Abyei, told Reuters that the death toll had risen to approximately 73, with an additional 19 injured, noting that fires had hindered the recovery of bodies.
Local officials accused the Sudanese army of carrying out the attack, while the army did not comment on these allegations at the time of writing. Reuters quoted a diplomatic source and a relief worker stating that the strike hit a fuel warehouse inside the market, which they said the RSF had previously used to supply its forces. Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) reported receiving more than 20 patients at a nearby hospital, including critical cases and burn victims.
South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Sudanese Ambassador to Juba, Essam Mohamed Karar, to convey the government’s protest and deep concern over the attack and its repercussions on civilian safety and Abyei’s stability. The ministry stated that the shelling hit multiple locations within the market, causing human casualties and widespread property damage, and called on Khartoum to prevent such attacks from recurring and to address issues related to the region through diplomatic channels.
Abyei administration warned that the attack had destroyed large parts of the market’s infrastructure, forcing survivors to flee to the town of Abyei, thereby exacerbating pressure on humanitarian services.
