Drone strike on a market in disputed African region of Abyei kills at least 153

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — A drone strike on a market in Abyei, a border region disputed by Sudan and South Sudan, hit a nearby fuel depot, killing at least 153 people and igniting a fire that was still burning Tuesday, a local official said.

Yohanna Akol Ngor, the Abyei administration’s caretaker information minister, blamed Sudan ’s military for Monday’s attack on Amiet Market, north of Abyei town.

“We have recorded 153 deaths,” Akol told The Associated Press by phone Tuesday. He said the death toll continued to rise as the fire burned.

The motive for the attack was not immediately clear, and the AP could not independently verify who carried it out.

Sudan’s military did not respond to a request for comment.

Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, said more than 20 wounded people were brought to Ameth Bek Hospital, where MSF teams were working alongside staff from South Sudan’s Health Ministry.

“So far we received over 20 patients, including several critical cases. Patients with burns were also admitted,” said Dr. Christian Lindauer, MSF’s medical activities manager at the hospital.

South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry also blamed Sudan’s military, saying the attack hit multiple locations within the market, causing civilian casualties and extensive property damage.

The ministry said it had summoned Sudan’s ambassador to protest and urged Sudan to “refrain from any actions that endanger civilian lives and property.” It called for issues concerning Abyei to be addressed through diplomatic channels.

Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting since April 2023, devastating large parts of the country and threatening stability along its borders.

Akol said the strike hit around 11 a.m. Monday. He said the fuel depot supplied local businesses.

“It is a horrible and shocking situation,” he said.

MSF called on all parties to stop attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, expressing concern about people’s ability to safely reach healthcare and other essential services.

Amiet Market is a trading hub serving the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities.

The oil-rich Abyei region’s status was left unresolved by a 2005 peace agreement that ended decades of civil war and remained unsettled when South Sudan became independent in 2011. A proposed referendum stalled over disagreements about who could vote.

The region’s majority Ngok Dinka population favors joining South Sudan, while Misseriya nomads who use its pastures favor Sudan. Abyei has also experienced deadly communal violence, including fighting over land between Ngok Dinka and neighboring Twic Dinka communities.