El Geneina — The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have intensified air strikes across the Darfur region, with reports from the ground indicating that densely populated civilian areas have been hit, leaving dozens dead and injured. The escalation comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis, with growing difficulty in verifying casualty figures and assessing the full extent of the damage.
According to the Sudan Constituent Alliance, army drones targeted the areas of Ed Dein, El Sarif and Tallu on Monday. The strikes reportedly killed 15 civilians and injured 17 others, the majority of them women and children. Among the dead were five environmental health workers, as well as members of the same family and their neighbours.
The Darfur Victims Organisation, citing eyewitnesses, said that on Tuesday a military drone struck a market in Al-Sarif locality in North Darfur. The attack, which witnesses said occurred at about 1pm local time, hit an area of car maintenance workshops, causing civilian casualties among those present.
The organisation called on the UN Security Council to take urgent and effective measures to protect civilians in light of what it described as an escalating pattern of violations.
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Attacks on West Darfur
In West Darfur, drone strikes on the customs district west of El Geneina -- an area hosting large numbers of displaced people from Khartoum and Gezira states -- reportedly killed dozens of civilians.
Journalist Mohieddine Zakaria told Radio Dabanga that a drone targeted the customs market and also bombed a passenger vehicle in the Sisi area between Zalingei and El Geneina. He said the two attacks took place on Monday evening and resulted in heavy casualties.
Zakaria added that the final death toll remains unclear, owing to the condition of some bodies and extensive fire damage to the market following the bombardment. He said drones continued to circle over the city into daylight hours, fuelling panic among residents and disrupting humanitarian operations, with some organisations restricting staff movements due to security concerns.
The Sudan Constituent Alliance (Tasees) said the strike on the customs market in El Geneina killed nine people and injured 12 others.
