Drone strike on Sudan cattle market kills 30 in Nyala
A drone strike on a cattle market in the Sudanese city of Nyala killed 30 people on Friday, in one of the deadliest attacks yet on the paramilitary stronghold in the western Darfur region. The Sudan Nyala drone strike also wounded 47 people, who are receiving treatment at Nyala Hospital, a medical source said.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) blamed the attack on the Sudanese army. A military source acknowledged an uptick in strikes on the area but did not claim responsibility. The source at the hospital did not say who was behind the attack.
A crowded market hit at the worst moment
The strike hit the city’s cattle market, a busy commercial hub, during trading hours. “The drone strike on the city’s cattle market today killed 30 people and wounded 47 others, who are receiving treatment at the hospital,” the medical source at Nyala Hospital said.
Nyala is Sudan’s second-largest city and the capital of South Darfur state. It serves as the seat of the self-declared administration the RSF established last year, which makes it both a political prize and a recurring target.
Sudan Nyala drone strike: a war fought from the sky
The RSF and the Sudanese army have been at war since April 2023, and both sides have increasingly turned to drones to strike deep into enemy territory without risking their own fighters. Markets, fuel depots and hospitals have all been hit in the escalating air campaign.
This is not the first deadly drone attack in Sudan this month. Earlier in October, a drone strike attributed to the RSF killed 30 people in Blue Nile state, while an airstrike on a gold mine killed 72. The latest strike is notable because the blame runs in the opposite direction: the RSF says the army carried it out.
The pattern shows how the war is being fought from the sky on both sides, with civilians paying the heaviest price.
Why Nyala matters
Control of Nyala gives the RSF its strongest claim to governing Darfur. The city anchors the group’s parallel administration and its supply lines across the region. Striking it, the army signals it can reach into the heart of RSF-held territory.
For residents, the distinction between the warring sides matters little. With the war now in its fourth year, displacement camps around Darfur are overflowing, and aid agencies warn that humanitarian access is shrinking as front lines shift.
Pakistan has repeatedly called for civilian protection in conflict zones. At the United Nations, Pakistan has urged an end to actions that harm civilians in Syria, and Islamabad has positioned itself as a mediator in regional conflicts, a role recognised by the UN secretary-general in the Iran-US tensions.
How many people died in the Nyala drone strike?
Thirty people were killed and 47 wounded, according to a medical source at Nyala Hospital.
Who was blamed for the Sudan Nyala drone strike?
The Rapid Support Forces blamed the Sudanese army. A military source acknowledged more strikes in the area but did not claim responsibility.
Why is Nyala significant in Sudan’s war?
Nyala is Sudan’s second-largest city and the capital of South Darfur. It hosts the RSF’s self-declared administration, making it the paramilitary group’s political and logistical centre in Darfur.
