Drone Attack Claims Over 43 Lives At Sudanese Market Amid Ongoing Conflict

In a tragic turn of events, a drone strike targeted an open market south of Sudan's capital, Khartoum, claiming the lives of over 43 individuals on Sunday. Reports from activists and healthcare workers indicate that at least 55 others were injured in the attack, underscoring the escalating struggle for control between the country's military and a potent paramilitary group.

The incident unfolded in Khartoum's May neighbourhood, where casualties were swiftly transported to Bashair University Hospital for treatment. Heart-wrenching images circulating on social media revealed the somber scene of bodies shrouded in white at the hospital grounds, AP reported. 

Attributing responsibility for the attack remains uncertain, as both factions have engaged in indiscriminate shelling and airstrikes, perpetuating the state of conflict that has transformed the Greater Khartoum area into a perilous battleground.

Since mid-April, Sudan has been thrust into a maelstrom of violence, ignited by escalating tensions between General Abdel Fattah Burhan's military forces and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo's Rapid Support Forces. The strife has now radiated across multiple regions, with RSF troops repurposing civilian residences as operational strongholds in the Greater Khartoum area, prompting retaliatory bombings on residential areas, according to reports from rights groups and activists.

In the beleaguered Darfur region, which bears the scars of a genocidal campaign in the early 2000s, the conflict has taken a sinister turn, manifesting as ethnically-driven violence. Rights organizations and the United Nations have documented attacks by RSF and allied Arab militias on ethnic African communities, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Tragically, the conflict has exacted a toll of over 4,000 lives, based on United Nations figures from August. However, the true magnitude of this catastrophe is likely far greater, as medical professionals and activists on the ground contend. The ranks of internally displaced individuals have surged, nearly doubling since mid-April, now exceeding 7.1 million, as reported by the UN refugee agency. Additionally, over 1.1 million Sudanese have sought refuge in neighboring countries, further highlighting the immense human suffering borne out of this protracted conflict.