Kartala, January 12 (Darfur24)
At least five civilians were killed, and 21 others injured on Sunday in a drone strike that targeted the market in the village of Kartala, Habila locality, South Kordofan State, local sources reported.
The area is under Sudanese army control, and residents said the attack is widely believed to have been carried out by either the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) or the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM-N).
Eyewitness Jawahir Abkar told Darfur24 that the drone struck the village market at a time of peak activity, causing heavy civilian casualties.
She said the victims killed in the attack were Hasab Suleiman, known as “Kandiya,” Atta Jah Allah Azraq, Abdulkarim Ahmed Halouf, nicknamed “Kabous,” Muhammad Omar Hasab Allah, and Muhammad Al-Hadi Yass.
According to the witness, 21 civilians were wounded, some in critical condition. She added that limited health resources in the village prevented proper emergency care at the scene.
All injured persons were transferred to Al-Rahad city in North Kordofan State for treatment, amid severe shortages of medical services and medicines in Kartala’s health facilities.
Residents said panic spread across the village following the bombing, with many fleeing the market and surrounding areas fearing further attacks. Shops closed, and commercial activity came to a near halt.
Kartala witnessed violent clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and SPLM-North forces in November last year, which resulted in civilian casualties and heightened tensions in the area.
The village is part of the “Six Mountains” region, which includes Al-Kurur, Al-Kafir, Al-Kadru, Kaldji, and Al-Dabbatna. Kartala lies about 84 kilometers east of Al-Dilling, 33 kilometers north of Dalami, and 37 kilometers east of Habila.