Link to Article: https://apnews.com/article/sudan-army-rapid-support-forces-market-strikes-war-b5104d7ee02e35252560f38a4b016cb3
A drone strike on a busy market in the Sudri locality of North Kordofan in Sudan killed at least 28 people and wounded dozens, a rights group monitoring civilian harm said. The attack occurred on Sunday in the central region’s crowded market and was attributed by Emergency Lawyers to the Sudanese army (SAF), though military officials denied targeting civilian infrastructure. The strike happened amid the nearly three-year war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The conflict has already caused widespread casualties, displacement and humanitarian suffering. The report noted that another drone strike just over a week earlier killed at least 24 people, including displaced civilians, and an aid convoy was also struck. Since the war began in April 2023, at least 40,000 people have died and 12 million have been displaced, according to the World Health Organization and aid groups, though the true toll may be higher as fighting continues.
This incident is important as it marks yet another civilian-based attack amidst the ongoing Sudanese civil war. Through much of the war, western nations have condemned the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for terroristic actions across Sudan. Incidents like this one show that both sides are at fault and liable for mass civilian targeted casualties. Escalated largely by the unstable governance and military politics, these attacks are only deepening the mistrust and lack of sovereignty across both sides of the war.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are likely to continue denying involvement in the market drone attack in an effort to save face while potentially planning further attacks against the RSF and/or nearby civilians. The RSF may use this attack as leverage, causing the SAF of war crimes and terrorism to rally support, despite their own terroristic methods. Either way, future attacks between both sides are imminent and will, more than likely, involve civilian casualties. These attacks will continue to draw in humanitarian concerns from influencing powers on both sides, the UAE backing the RSF, Egypt and Saudi Arabia supporting the SAF.
The civil war in Sudan between the SAF and RSF can be analyzed as a rebel group based security threat. The causation of the war draws back to a successful 2021 coup that led to somewhat of a power vacuum and disagreement between the two successors, with the RSF emerging as a rebel group. The threat level is high as the state continues to be an active war zone, divided into SAF and RSF regions. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed across the nation with the RSF being accused of genocide by international counsels. The fighting also risks spilling over into South Sudan as it escalates. The responses have been relatively straightforward as each side continues to fight with little talks of peace negotiations. Foreign nations have also taken stake, notably the UAE in supporting the RSF.