Conflict & Security
Sudan army drone strike kills 35 at Darfur court, group says
Emergency Lawyers said Sudanese army drones struck a traditional court in Garra al-Zawaya, North Darfur, at about 1:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, killing 35 people and wounding others.
The rights group said civilians had gathered for hearings on local cases and disputes in the village, which is controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. A witness from the area told AFP on condition of anonymity for safety reasons that the session was being held under a tree with local community leaders taking part, and that four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders were among those killed.
The RSF's self-declared government condemned the strike as "a horrific crime" and said 37 people were killed and 50 others wounded. There was no immediate response from the army.
Garra al-Zawaya is near Kabkabiya, about 150 kilometres west of El-Fasher, the army's last stronghold in Darfur before the RSF captured it in October last year. UN investigators have said violence linked to the RSF siege and capture of El-Fasher bore "the hallmarks of genocide".
Both sides have increasingly used drones since the El-Fasher campaign. The United Nations says more than 1,000 civilians were killed in drone strikes during the first five months of this year.
Sudan's war began in April 2023 between the army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. It has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and created what the United Nations describes as the world's largest hunger and displacement crises. Both sides have been accused of war crimes, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians; the RSF has faced particular accusations of systematic sexual violence, looting and mass atrocities.
Update
The RSF's self-declared government condemned the strike and called it a horrific crime.
The RSF's self-declared government said 37 people were killed and 50 others wounded, differing from the Emergency Lawyers figure of 35 killed and unspecified wounded.
There was no immediate response from the Sudanese army.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 August 2026 at 22:20:01 UTC.
Update
A witness told AFP the court session was being held under a tree with local community leaders present.
The witness said four tribal leaders and two Rapid Support Forces commanders were among those killed.
The item adds that Garra al-Zawaya is near Kabkabiya, about 150 kilometres west of El-Fasher.
The item adds UN investigators' assessment that violence linked to the RSF siege and capture of El-Fasher bore the hallmarks of genocide.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 August 2026 at 21:08:29 UTC.
Update
Emergency Lawyers said the strike damaged the court building, described as a traditional institution for local and tribal disputes.
The strike came days after Rapid Support Forces leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo told fighters to consider themselves "unleashed" after military gains in Kordofan.
The United Nations says more than 1,000 civilians were killed in drone strikes in Sudan during the first five months of this year.
The source says Sudan is effectively split between army-controlled areas in the north, east and centre and RSF-controlled Darfur and parts of the south.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 August 2026 at 20:17:26 UTC.
Update
Emergency Lawyers said the drone strike hit a customary court in Garra al-Zawaya in North Darfur at around 1:00 pm local time.
The group accused the Sudanese army of carrying out the strike.
The group said civilians had gathered at the court for hearings on local cases and disputes.
Source note: AFP news report published on 2 August 2026 at 19:55:23 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The casualty toll differs: Emergency Lawyers reported 35 killed and unspecified wounded, while the RSF's self-declared government reported 37 killed and 50 wounded.
The Sudanese army had not immediately responded, and responsibility for the strike is attributed to Emergency Lawyers rather than independently established in the supplied material.
Source
AFP news report published on .