Sudan army drone strike kills 35 in North Darfur

A Sudanese army drone strike killed at least 35 people in North Darfur on Sunday, including civilians and local officials, according to the Emergency Lawyers rights group. The incident was reported in the village of Garra al-Zawaya, an area described as being under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The rights group said the strike happened at about 1:00 p.m. local time and hit an outdoor traditional court session. It reported that four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders were among those killed, alongside many civilians.

Strike reported during an outdoor court session

Emergency Lawyers said the gathering was a customary court held in the open, which was struck during proceedings. The group’s account did not provide a breakdown beyond noting the deaths of tribal leaders, RSF commanders, and civilians, and it described the overall toll as at least 35.

Garra al-Zawaya is located roughly 150 kilometers west of el-Fasher, a strategic area that has seen sustained conflict. The report placed the strike in a region where control is contested and where civilians have remained exposed to shifting front lines and evolving tactics.

Fighting around el-Fasher and the wider war

The village’s proximity to el-Fasher links the incident to a broader battle zone. Officials and reports have described intense fighting around el-Fasher since the RSF captured the city in October 2023, underscoring its military and political importance in the Darfur region.

The reported strike comes amid a three-year civil war between the Sudanese army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The conflict has expanded geographically and has increasingly affected civilian life as armed operations have moved into populated areas.

Drones become a central feature of the conflict

Both sides have increasingly relied on drones as a major battlefield tool, according to the account. The use of drone warfare has coincided with a worsening humanitarian situation that the United Nations says has displaced millions of people.

UN data cited in the report stated that drone strikes caused more than 1,000 civilian deaths in the first five months of 2026 alone. The figures highlight how aerial attacks have become a significant driver of civilian harm during the conflict.

Some details surrounding Sunday’s incident remain unclear based on the information provided, including how the target was selected and whether any additional assessments of casualties would change the initial count. The rights group’s account nonetheless frames the strike as part of a wider pattern in which drone operations intersect with civilian gatherings in contested areas.