Drone strike on a market in disputed African region of Abyei kills at least 153

A drone strike on a market in the disputed Abyei region on the border between Sudan and South Sudan killed at least 153 people, according to local officials. The attack occurred on Monday morning, hitting Amiet Market north of Abyei town and striking a nearby fuel depot, which ignited a massive fire that was still burning as of Tuesday. Yohanna Akol Ngor, the caretaker information minister for the Abyei administration, confirmed the death toll by phone, stating that the number was likely to rise as rescue efforts continued. He described the scene as horrible and shocking, noting that some bodies had been reduced to ash due to the intensity of the blaze. Sudan’s military blamed the attack on its own forces, claiming the strike targeted fuel tankers arriving from South Sudan that were destined for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. A senior Sudanese military officer, speaking anonymously because he was not authorized to address the media, stated that the victims were RSF members and individuals involved in fuel smuggling. The officer insisted that the military does not target civilians and asserted that the strike took place outside the demilitarized zone along the border. However, the Associated Press could not independently verify these claims regarding the specific targets or the identities of the deceased. Conversely, South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry attributed the attack to the Sudanese military, accusing them of striking multiple locations within the market and causing extensive property damage and civilian casualties. The United Nations strongly condemned the drone strike, which contributed to a regional death toll exceeding 250 from attacks in recent days. Three diplomatic sources, an aid worker, and a conflict expert indicated that the strike specifically hit a fuel depot that had previously been utilized by the RSF for supplies. The UN Interim Security Force for Abyei had warned in May that the increasing presence of the RSF in the region heightened insecurity, putting both civilians and UN personnel at risk due to delays in resolving the territory’s final status. In response to the incident, South Sudan’s government summoned the Sudanese ambassador to lodge a formal protest. The ministry urged Sudan to refrain from actions endangering civilian life and property and called for disputes regarding Abyei to be resolved through established diplomatic channels. Medical responders faced significant challenges in treating the injured. Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, reported receiving more than 20 wounded patients at Ameth Bek Hospital, where their teams worked alongside staff from South Sudan’s Health Ministry. Dr. Christian Lindauer, the medical activities manager for MSF at the facility, noted that several cases were critical and included patients with severe burns. MSF appealed to all parties to cease attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, expressing concern over the population’s ability to access healthcare and other essential services safely. An eyewitness described hearing five large explosions before the fuel depot caught fire. The witness, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, reported seeing 28 burnt bodies in one location and noted that evacuees suffered shrapnel injuries to their stomachs and legs. The witness stated that no uniformed fighters from the RSF or other groups were visible in the market, which typically sells goods such as sugar, flour, and biscuits. The aftermath of the strike left approximately 8,000 people displaced, according to Ngor. Satellite imagery captured in the days following the attack showed burnt-out buildings and charred, twisted remains of vehicles. Flames continued to billow from structures as residents inspected the damage, with the ongoing fires hindering emergency workers' efforts to retrieve the dead. Video footage from the scene depicted the devastation, showing the extent of the destruction in the trading hub. The Abyei region has long been a flashpoint for tension. Its status was left unresolved by the 2005 peace agreement that ended decades of civil war in Sudan, and the issue remained unsettled when South Sudan gained independence in 2011. A proposed referendum to determine the region's future stalled due to disagreements over voter eligibility. The area is home to the Ngok Dinka population, who generally favor joining South Sudan, and the Misseriya nomads, who rely on the region's pastures and prefer alignment with Sudan. This ethnic divide has historically fueled deadly communal violence, including conflicts over land between the Ngok Dinka and neighboring Twic Dinka communities. The broader context involves the ongoing war in Sudan, where the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF have been engaged in combat since April 2023. This conflict has devastated large parts of the country and threatens stability along its borders. While the RSF and the Sudanese armed forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the specific allegations of targeting, the escalation of drone strikes between the two factions has increasingly impacted neighboring countries. The dispute over Abyei adds another layer of complexity to the regional instability, with both nations blaming each other for the deadliest incident in the area in recent memory. The fire at the fuel depot, which supplied local businesses, persisted into Tuesday, complicating the assessment of the total scale of the disaster.