KHARTOUM, Sudan — At least 1,700 civilians have died in Sudanese air force bombings targeting residential neighborhoods, markets, schools and camps for displaced people, according to a new investigation by the Sudan Witness Project.
Findings
- The report analysed 384 airstrikes between April 2023 and July 2025.
- Attacks included 135 strikes on residential areas, 35 on markets, and 19 on hospitals, schools and camps.
- Evidence shows the use of unguided bombs in populated areas, raising concerns of indiscriminate targeting.
Civilian Toll
The group documented 1,700 deaths and 1,120 injuries, noting these are conservative figures. Verified cases include:
- A strike on Hamrat al-Sheikh Market in North Kordofan that killed at least 30.
- A bombing of al-Kuma market in North Darfur that killed 65 and injured 200.
- An attack on el-Daein hospital in August 2024 that killed 16 civilians, including children and a healthcare worker.
Accountability Debate
While the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been condemned for ethnic massacres in Darfur, the report stresses that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) must also be held accountable for indiscriminate bombings.
“The SAF isn’t doing enough to avoid civilian casualties,” said project lead Mark Snoeck.
International observers, including the British foreign office, called the evidence “a clear and unacceptable disregard for the safety of innocent Sudanese civilians.”
Wider Conflict
Sudan’s civil war, which began in April 2023, has displaced millions. Both SAF and RSF have been accused of war crimes, with recent months seeing a shift toward drone strikes by both sides.