Drone strike kills 73 in disputed South Sudan region

At least 73 people have been killed after drones struck a market in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan, according to a local official.

The caretaker information minister for Abyei, Yohana Akol Ngor, said the attack occurred on Monday and left at least 19 people wounded.

Ngor accused Sudan’s armed forces of carrying out the strike. However, he did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegation, and responsibility for the attack had not been independently established in the initial report.

The incident adds to insecurity in Abyei, an oil-rich territory claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan. The region has a disputed political status and is jointly administered, leaving it vulnerable to recurring tensions and violence.

Abyei has experienced repeated outbreaks of violence involving rival ethnic communities and armed groups. The latest reported attack on a market raises fresh concerns about the safety of civilians in an area where local disputes and wider political tensions have frequently overlapped.

The reported death toll also highlights the potential impact of drone warfare on populated areas. Markets and other public spaces can expose large numbers of civilians to danger when attacks occur during busy periods.

The allegation against Sudan’s military requires further investigation, particularly because the official who made it did not present evidence identifying those responsible. Independent confirmation of the circumstances surrounding the strike, including the intended target and the identities of those killed, was not immediately available in the report.

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Abyei’s disputed status has complicated efforts to establish lasting stability. Sudan and South Sudan have maintained competing claims over the territory despite years of negotiations following South Sudan’s independence in 2011.

The region has also experienced attacks against international personnel. In a previous incident, at least six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed and eight others wounded in a drone attack on a United Nations base in Abyei, according to Bangladesh’s armed forces.

The latest attack is likely to renew calls for stronger civilian protection and investigations into violence in the contested territory.

Further information from local authorities and independent investigators will be important in establishing the full circumstances of Monday’s strike and confirming the number of casualties.

(Reuters)