More than 100 people were reportedly killed and scores of others injured when a drone struck a crowded market in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur in Sudan. The attack occurred on the evening of October 26, 2026, as civilians gathered at Tanqong Market in the Dumaya neighbourhood to buy essential goods and carry out their daily activities.
Rights group Emergency Lawyers reported that more than 100 people were killed and 113 injured in the strike. The group blamed the Sudanese military and called for an independent investigation into the incident. Women and children were among those affected, highlighting the serious danger faced by civilians as fighting continues across the country. The casualty figures remain preliminary and have not been independently confirmed.
Hospitals treat large numbers of casualties
Medical teams in Nyala faced a major emergency following the attack. Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières, reported that the hospital it supports in the city had received 36 bodies and treated more than 150 injured patients in its emergency department.
According to the medical organisation, wounded people arrived with shrapnel injuries, severe burns and other traumatic injuries. Some patients were transported to the hospital in tuk-tuks and donkey carts from the affected market. Medical staff worked through the emergency to treat those needing urgent care, including women and children.
The reported casualty figures vary among sources. Emergency Lawyers cited more than 100 deaths and 113 injuries, while a health official from the administration aligned with the Rapid Support Forces reported 102 civilian deaths and 113 injuries. Doctors Without Borders separately reported the number of bodies received and wounded patients treated at its facility. These figures may reflect different reporting periods or counting methods, but the available information does not establish the precise reason for the differences.
Responsibility for the attack remains a key issue
Nyala is controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commonly known as the RSF, which has been fighting Sudan's regular military since April 2023. Rights groups and local officials have attributed the market strike to a drone operated by the Sudanese Armed Forces.
The allegations have prompted calls for an independent investigation to establish the circumstances of the attack and identify those responsible. The reported information does not provide a complete independent account of the strike, and the casualty figures remain subject to verification.
The attack has also raised concerns about the safety of public places where civilians gather to obtain food and other necessities. Markets are essential to local communities, particularly in areas affected by conflict, where access to supplies and basic services may already be severely restricted.
Humanitarian organisations have repeatedly stressed that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected during armed conflict. Investigators would need to establish the circumstances of the strike, including the intended target and the impact on civilians, before reaching conclusions about responsibility under international law.
Drone warfare is increasing risks for civilians
The market strike comes amid growing use of drones by both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF. Explosive-carrying drones have increasingly been used during the conflict, placing residents at risk in populated areas and threatening essential infrastructure.
Recent attacks across Sudan have affected civilian locations, including markets, hospitals, schools, displacement camps and electricity facilities. The United Nations has warned that drone attacks pose a serious threat to civilians and have contributed to the growing death toll.
A separate drone attack on an electricity substation in Omdurman, near Khartoum, reportedly caused power outages across large parts of the capital for more than 12 hours. The disruption affected essential services, with hospitals and bakeries relying on generators and water supplies also facing difficulties. An electricity company official blamed the RSF for that attack. The incident was separate from the strike on the Nyala market.
The growing use of drones has made it harder for civilians to predict where attacks may occur. In towns and cities affected by fighting, people may face danger even while shopping, seeking medical treatment or travelling to obtain food and other supplies.
Sudan's conflict has triggered a major humanitarian emergency
Sudan's war began in April 2023, when tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF escalated into open fighting in Khartoum. The conflict later spread across multiple regions, causing widespread destruction, displacement and disruption to public services.
The war has killed tens of thousands of people and forced millions from their homes. The United Nations has described the situation as one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with around 34 million people needing assistance, according to figures cited in recent reporting.
Food insecurity is particularly serious in parts of Darfur and Kordofan. Humanitarian agencies have warned that continuing violence, limited access to aid and damage to infrastructure are making it increasingly difficult for people to obtain food, clean water and healthcare. Children and other vulnerable groups face heightened risks from malnutrition and the collapse of essential services.
Aid organisations and international governments have called on the warring parties to allow humanitarian assistance to reach affected communities and to reduce the risks to civilians. However, continued fighting and attacks on infrastructure remain major obstacles to relief efforts.
Calls for an investigation and civilian protection
The strike on Tanqong Market has renewed calls for an investigation into attacks affecting civilian areas. Rights advocates say that those responsible should be identified and that measures are needed to prevent further harm to people who are not taking part in the fighting.
An independent inquiry could help clarify the sequence of events, verify casualty figures and assess the circumstances surrounding the attack. Such an investigation would also help establish whether the laws governing the protection of civilians during armed conflict were respected.
For residents of Nyala, the immediate priority remains medical treatment for the injured and support for families affected by the strike. The wider challenge is to protect civilians and maintain access to food, healthcare and other basic necessities while the conflict continues.
The reported attack adds to the mounting civilian toll of Sudan's war. With casualty figures still being assessed and responsibility requiring further investigation, the incident highlights the urgent need to protect crowded civilian locations and ensure that medical teams can continue their work safely.
