Sudan army drone attack on Darfur kills 35, rights group says

What the report says

A rights group says a Sudanese army drone strike killed at least 35 people and wounded several others in western Darfur, highlighting the widening use of drones in the country’s three-year war. According to Al Jazeera’s report, the attack hit a traditional court in the village of Garra al-Zawaya in North Darfur state on Sunday around 1pm local time, while civilians were gathered to hear local cases and disputes.

The Emergency Lawyers group said the court, which serves as a community forum for resolving tribal and local feuds, was also damaged. A witness cited by AFP said the hearing was taking place under a tree with local leaders present. The witness said the dead included four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders. The village is in territory controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which is fighting the army.

The war began in April 2023 between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. Al Jazeera noted that the conflict has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and created what the UN calls the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Garra al-Zawaya is near Kabkabiya, west of el-Fasher, an area that has seen heavy fighting since the RSF captured the city last year. The report also said UN investigators have described RSF-linked violence around el-Fasher as bearing hallmarks of genocide.