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, a village in North Darfur under Rapid Support Forces control, at about 1:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, killing 35 people and wounding others.
The rights group said civilians had gathered at the court for hearings on local cases and disputes. It said the strike also damaged the court building, which it described as a traditional institution used to resolve local and tribal disputes.
A witness from the area told AFP, on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, that the court session was being held under a tree with local community leaders taking part. The witness said four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders were among those killed.
Garra al-Zawaya lies near Kabkabiya in North Darfur, about 150 kilometres west of El-Fasher. The RSF captured El-Fasher in October last year after an offensive. UN investigators have said violence linked to the RSF siege and capture of the city bore the hallmarks of genocide.
Both sides in Sudan's war have increasingly used drones. The United Nations says more than 1,000 civilians were killed in drone strikes during the first five months of this year.
The war between Sudan's army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, began in April 2023. 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.
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 army's own response to the reported strike is not included.
The exact number of wounded people is not specified.
The witness spoke anonymously for safety reasons.
Source
AFP news report published on .