A Sudanese war monitor has accused the country’s military of carrying out a deadly airstrike on a crowded market in western Darfur, killing and injuring hundreds.
The Emergency Lawyers group, which documents war crimes committed by both sides in Sudan’s ongoing civil war, described the attack on Tur’rah market as a “horrific massacre.”
Videos circulating on social media—including those shared by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which controls much of Darfur—showed the aftermath of the bombing, with market stalls reduced to rubble and bodies charred beyond recognition.
While a Sudanese military spokesperson denied targeting civilians, stating that the airstrikes were aimed at “legitimate hostile targets,” both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF have faced repeated accusations of indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas.
The airstrike reportedly took place about 35km (21 miles) north of El-Fasher, a key city held by the military. Though the exact date remains unconfirmed, the Darfur Initiative for Justice and Peace—a local activist group—claimed the bombing occurred on Monday, calling it “the deadliest single bombing since the beginning of the war.”
Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, Sudan has been plunged into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Fighting between the military and the RSF has displaced over 12 million people—roughly equivalent to the entire population of Belgium or Tunisia.
According to UN reports, more than half of Sudan’s population is facing acute food insecurity, with famine spreading across the war-torn nation. Estimates suggest that at least 150,000 people have died in the conflict, though the true number is likely far higher.
In Darfur, the RSF has been accused of ethnic cleansing, including mass killings and the systematic rape of non-Arab women. However, the group has denied these allegations.
The UN has described Sudan as “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,” warning that without urgent intervention, the suffering of civilians will continue to escalate.
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