Airstrike Strikes Sudan Market, Killing at Least 46 Amid Escalating Civil War

Lead An airstrike on September 10 pummeled a crowded market in an RSF-controlled district south of Khartoum, killing at least 46 civilians, Sudan Doctors Union reports, as clashes rage between SAF and RSF.

Nut Graf This deadly strike underscores the widening humanitarian catastrophe of Sudan’s civil war, now in its third year, where indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas have driven over 10.8 million from their homes and left nearly 25 million facing acute food insecurity.

Continued Attacks on Civilians

  • Airstrike Impact: The bombing hit a bustling marketplace in Omdurman’s southern suburbs, leaving dozens dead and scores wounded, while both SAF and RSF traded blame for the assault.
  • Health Infrastructure Under Fire: Two healthcare facilities in Omdurman sustained shelling in August, killing at least three, further crippling medical services in contested areas.

Humanitarian Toll

  • Displacement Surge: More than 8.1 million people have been uprooted since 2023, contributing to Sudan’s record of over 10.8 million internally displaced-the highest worldwide.
  • Hunger Crisis Deepens: Over 25 million Sudanese now face severe food shortages, with famine confirmed in North Darfur’s largest displacement camp and looming across other regions.

Warring Parties’ Conduct

  • RSF Abuses: Human Rights Watch has documented RSF-perpetrated mass executions, sexual violence and ethnically targeted shelling in Darfur and Khartoum’s outskirts.
  • SAF Offenses: The Sudanese Armed Forces have conducted indiscriminate aerial bombings and artillery strikes on civilian zones, destroying schools, markets and hospitals.
  • Impunity Prevails: Both sides have systematically obstructed aid delivery, attacked local aid workers and shown little accountability for widespread rights violations.

International Response and Sanctions

  • Limited Relief: Only half of the UN’s $3 billion humanitarian response plan is funded, leaving millions without critical support.
  • Sanctions and Probes: The US and EU have imposed sanctions on military leaders and entities, while the ICC continues investigating alleged war crimes in Darfur.

Outlook As the rainy season approaches, obscuring aerial visibility and bogging down ground routes, analysts warn the conflict may intensify, with further risks to civilian safety and relief operations.