Al-Junaynah, June 10 (Darfur24)
A drone believed to belong to the Sudanese army struck the Ardamata Bridge in El Geneina, West Darfur State, on Tuesday morning, causing significant damage and forcing authorities to suspend traffic across one of the region’s most important transport links.
Local sources told Darfur24 that the drone carried out two airstrikes on the bridge, firing two missiles that directly hit the structure and caused damage severe enough to halt the movement of vehicles and pedestrians.
The attack comes after years of deterioration in West Darfur’s infrastructure. Seasonal floods from Wadi Kaja had previously destroyed two major bridges in the state. At the same time, the Ardamata Bridge itself had suffered partial damage before undergoing repairs that restored it to service.
The bridge serves as a vital artery connecting El Geneina with other parts of Darfur and Kordofan and is a key route for the transportation of commercial goods, food supplies, and humanitarian assistance.
In response, the Founding Alliance (TASIS) condemned the attack, accusing the Sudanese army of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure and describing the strike as a violation of international humanitarian law.
In a statement, TASIS said the destruction of the bridge would have serious humanitarian and economic consequences by disrupting civilian movement, trade, public services, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to conflict-affected communities.
It warned that prolonged closure of the bridge could further complicate relief operations across West Darfur, where humanitarian agencies rely heavily on the crossing to transport assistance to vulnerable populations.
TASIS called on the United Nations, the African Union, the UN Security Council, and international human rights organizations to condemn the attack and support an independent investigation to determine responsibility. The government also urged the establishment of an international fact-finding mechanism to investigate attacks on civilian infrastructure during the conflict.
Authorities said emergency measures are being taken to mitigate the impact of the bridge’s closure and maintain the flow of humanitarian assistance and commercial goods. The government also affirmed that basic public services, including the ongoing Sudanese Certificate examinations, would continue as scheduled.
The Ardamata Bridge remains one of the most strategically important transport links in West Darfur, and its closure is expected to further strain humanitarian access and economic activity in a region already grappling with the effects of war and infrastructure damage.