Al-Daein/ Zalingei, April 14 (Darfur24)
At least 16 civilians, including environmental health workers and women, were killed in a series of drone strikes that targeted multiple locations across East and Central Darfur on Monday, according to local sources and official statements.
In East Darfur, the Ministry of Health said 10 people, including five environmental health workers, were killed when a drone strike hit sanitation teams carrying out a campaign in the city of Al-Daein. The attack also left 17 others injured. Eyewitnesses reported loud explosions in western neighborhoods near the market, with fires breaking out and widespread panic forcing residents, patients, and shoppers to flee.
In Central Darfur, six people, including four women, were killed in a separate drone strike targeting a market in the Telolo area of Azum locality. The attack reportedly struck near fuel tankers, triggering a large fire before additional missiles hit the crowded weekly market, causing further casualties and extensive destruction.
Local sources said the strikes also caused significant material losses, including the burning of fuel tankers and large sections of the market. The wounded were transferred to Zalingei Hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, the Sudanese Relief and Humanitarian Operations Agency announced the death of one of its staff members, humanitarian worker Youssef Al-Labi Abdel-Nabi Mohamed, who was killed in a separate strike in Central Darfur while carrying out his duties.
The agency said the attacks were part of a wider wave of airstrikes that hit several regions across Darfur, including Al-Daein, Azum, and areas in North Darfur, resulting in dozens of civilian casualties, among them women, children, and aid workers.
It condemned the attacks and called on the United Nations and the international community to take urgent action to protect civilians and humanitarian personnel, stressing that targeting them constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law.