Nyala, December 9 (Darfur24)
At least 74 people were killed and dozens more injured, following an aerial bombardment by a drone that targeted the town of Katila , south west of Nyala, eyewitnesses and local sources reported on Monday.
Mohamed Ahmed Abu, an eyewitness, told Darfur24 that a drone bombed a gathering of residents shortly after they had received the head of the civil administration affiliated with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in South Darfur and members of his government.
He claimed the attack killed more than 74 people, including 62 civilians and 14 RSF commanders, and left over 90 others injured.
A medical source at Katila Rural Hospital confirmed the number of dead had reached about 74, while roughly 90 wounded were transferred for treatment to rural hospitals in Talas, Ad Al-Fursan, and Nyala, in addition to emergency cases treated in Katila. The source said some of the wounded were in critical condition and required urgent surgical intervention.
According to a source at the civil administration, the head of the civil administration, Youssef Idris Youssef, and his convoy came under attack in Katila in South Darfur, leaving him with injuries. He was allegedly transfered to Tulus Rural Hospital for treatment.
Others wounded included the executive director of Kutum locality, Abu Sin Ahmed Al-Ahmar; Sabri Adam Abkar from the local government; and the mayor of Kutum, Youssef Mohamed Youssef. Their conditions were reported to be stable.
The head of the RSF Civil Administration in South Darfur had begun an inspection tour last Thursday of southern localities in the state, starting in Al-Salam and Qureida, moving through Al-Sunta, Baram, and Al-Radum, before traveling today from Tulus to Katila, where he arrived in the afternoon. The attack occurred shortly before the scheduled start of the official reception.
The civil administration source also confirmed that 14 RSF leaders in Kutum were killed in the strike, while other military personnel sustained injuries.
An eyewitness said residents were forced to close their shops and gather at a reception site south of the city near the market to welcome the visiting officials, under threat of fines for non-compliance. He added that a significant number of women, who had gone to provide food at the gathering, were among the victims, along with several children.
Kutum, located about 130 kilometers southwest of Nyala, is one of the region’s most important producers of peanuts and gum arabic, and has been under the control of the Rapid Support Forces since 2023.