Al-Daein / Nyala, March 22 (Darfur24)
At least 26 civilians were killed in separate drone strikes in East and South Darfur over the weekend, as aerial attacks continue to escalate across the region.
Doctors and eyewitnesses said 23 civilians were killed and three others injured after a drone strike targeted a passenger vehicle east of Al-Daein in East Darfur State while it was traveling toward Al-Mujlad in West Kordofan.
Medical staff at Adila Hospital told Darfur24 that the victims were evacuated to the facility after the strike hit a Land Cruiser carrying 26 passengers between Abu Jarah Station and the town of Bakhit.
Eyewitnesses said the attack occurred on Saturday evening when a missile fired by a drone struck the vehicle, causing a massive explosion. When residents reached the site the following morning, they found 23 bodies inside the vehicle and three injured survivors who were transported for treatment.
A local transport operator said the vehicle was targeted about an hour after Sudanese army aircraft carried out strikes on Rapid Support Forces (RSF) positions in Al-Daein.
Meanwhile, in South Darfur, at least three civilians were killed and others injured on Saturday when a drone strike hit a shop in the town of Manawashi in Mershing locality in Nyala.
A former local official, Ahmed Abdel Rahman, told Darfur24 that the strike, believed to have been carried out by the Sudanese army, killed two identified victims, Nassam Musa and Mubarak Ahmed Andrus, along with a third unidentified person.
Eyewitnesses said the strike coincided with the presence of an RSF convoy that had stopped near the market, adding that one vehicle and three motorcycles were destroyed. RSF forces reportedly fled the area upon hearing the drone.
Residents said all those killed in the Manawashi incident were civilians. The town’s weekly market was closed on Sunday due to fears of renewed strikes.
The Sudan Founding Alliance “TASIS,” which includes the RSF, accused the Sudanese army of carrying out the attacks. The army has not issued any response.
These incidents are part of a growing pattern of drone strikes across Darfur over the past year, resulting in mounting civilian casualties and widespread damage to property and essential services.