List of Reasons Explains the News That Sudan Army Is Accused of Killing Hundreds in an Airstrike on Darfur Market

A Sudanese war monitor has accused the country’s military of killing hundreds of civilians in an airstrike on Tur’rah market in Darfur. The attack, described as a "horrific massacre" by the Emergency Lawyers group, reportedly left hundreds injured. The market, located about 35 kilometers north of the army-controlled city of el-Fasher, was bombed in what activists are calling the deadliest single airstrike since the civil war erupted in April 2023.

Videos circulating on social media, including those shared by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), depict the devastation, showing charred bodies and smoking remains of market stalls. The Sudanese army has denied targeting civilians, stating that its attacks are directed at legitimate hostile targets. However, both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF have been accused of shelling civilian areas throughout the conflict. The RSF primarily uses drones, while the army relies on airstrikes to target RSF positions across Darfur.

The Darfur Initiative for Justice and Peace confirmed that the airstrike took place on Monday, further highlighting the growing civilian death toll caused by intensified bombing and shelling in recent months. The escalation in violence has deepened the suffering of Sudanese civilians, many of whom have already been displaced by the ongoing war. According to the UN, approximately 12 million people—comparable to the population of Belgium or Tunisia—have fled their homes. Famine is widespread, with more than half of Sudan experiencing acute food insecurity.

The RSF has been accused of committing genocide in Darfur, allegedly murdering thousands of civilians and using rape as a weapon of ethnic cleansing. However, the group denies these allegations. The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has been described as the worst in the world by the United Nations, with a death toll estimated to be at least 150,000 since the war began.

The international community continues to monitor the situation as fighting intensifies, raising concerns about further humanitarian disasters in the region.