At least 35 people were killed in a drone strike that hit the headquarters of a civil court in the village on Sunday afternoon, according to Emergency Lawyers, an independent rights group documenting alleged atrocities during Sudan’s continuing conflict.
The organisation attributed the attack to the Sudanese Armed Forces and said the drones directly targeted the civilian court building. Details about the identities of those killed, the number of people injured and the extent of damage to the surrounding area were not immediately available in the information released.
Emergency Lawyers called for an independent investigation into the strike and warned that attacks directed against civilians and civilian infrastructure represent serious violations of international humanitarian law. The group has been recording alleged abuses committed during the conflict and seeking accountability for attacks affecting non-combatants.
The Sudanese military had not issued a response to the allegation in the information available at the time of reporting. Independent verification of the circumstances surrounding the strike also remained difficult because of insecurity, disrupted communications and restricted access to several areas affected by fighting in Darfur.
Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023, when a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces developed into widespread armed conflict. Fighting has devastated several parts of the country, displaced millions of people and severely disrupted access to food, medical care and other essential services.
Drone warfare has become increasingly common in the conflict, with both sides using aerial attacks as fighting continues. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data monitoring organisation has recorded at least 59,000 conflict-related deaths since the war began, while humanitarian groups believe the actual toll could be considerably higher because many deaths remain undocumented.
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Al-Zawiya Gara, North Darfur, Sudan: At least 35 people were killed after a drone strike hit the headquarters of a civil court in Al-Zawiya Gara village on Sunday afternoon, according to Emergency Lawyers, an independent rights group that documents alleged atrocities during Sudan’s ongoing conflict. The organisation attributed the attack to the Sudanese Armed Forces and said the court, a civilian facility, had been directly targeted. Information about the identities of the victims, the number of injured people and the full extent of the damage was not immediately available.
Emergency Lawyers demanded an independent and transparent investigation into the incident, arguing that intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law. The group called for those responsible to be identified and held accountable. The Sudanese military had not responded to the allegation in the information available at the time of reporting, while the circumstances surrounding the strike could not be independently verified because of continuing insecurity and restricted access to several conflict-affected areas of Darfur.
Sudan has been engulfed in a devastating civil war since April 2023, when tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, erupted into open fighting. What began as a struggle for military and political control quickly spread across the country, including to Darfur, a region with a long history of violence and displacement. Repeated attacks on residential areas and essential infrastructure have left civilians facing severe risks.
Drone warfare has become increasingly common during the conflict, with both the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces accused of carrying out aerial attacks. The expanded use of drones has allowed the rival forces to strike targets beyond traditional front lines, increasing the danger to communities living near military positions or contested areas. Rights organisations have repeatedly warned that indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks could violate the laws of war, particularly when they affect courts, hospitals, markets and other civilian locations.
The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data monitoring organisation has recorded at least 59,000 conflict-related deaths since the war began, although humanitarian groups believe the actual toll may be considerably higher because many fatalities remain undocumented. Millions of people have also been forced from their homes, while access to food, clean water and medical care has deteriorated. The reported Al-Zawiya Gara court strike has renewed calls for civilian protection, accountability and international efforts to end the conflict.