SUDAN · WAR
Key Facts
- —The country Sudan is a north-east African country at war since April 2023, with its army fighting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
- —What happened On Sunday 18 October 2026, a drone strike hit Al-Dabab in West Kordofan, and local groups say more than 100 people died.
- —The numbers Relatives gave preliminary figures of over 100 dead and 120 injured, while three local bodies counted about 150 civilians killed.
- —Who is blamed The Tasis alliance, which backs the Rapid Support Forces, blames the army; Radio Dabanga’s headline also names the armed forces.
- —Monday in Khartoum On Monday 19 October, drones launched by the Rapid Support Forces killed four people in Khartoum, three of them children, Radio Dabanga reported.
- —Prediction markets Polymarket bets give a Sudan ceasefire by 31 December 2026 an 8.5% chance, with about US$120,000 traded on the event (19 October, 3:05 p.m. ET).
- —Still open The exact death toll, who flew the aircraft, and whether either side will accept an independent inquiry.
A Sudan drone strike on Al-Dabab, a town in West Kordofan, killed more than 100 people on Sunday 18 October, local groups told Radio Dabanga. Radio Dabanga is a Sudanese news service that reports on the war in Arabic and English.
For US readers, the Sudan drone strike lands as Congress weighs a bill that ties a minerals and trade partnership to civilian protection. It also adds to calls to widen the UN arms embargo, which covers only Darfur.
What Happened in Al-Dabab
Radio Dabanga reported on Monday 19 October that an air strike hit Al-Dabab, in West Kordofan state, on Sunday 18 October. Relatives told the outlet that the Sudan drone strike hit a crowded market, with preliminary figures above 100 dead and 120 injured.
The Tasis alliance gave a different account of the first blow, saying it hit a truck carrying people home from a condolence gathering. It added that a drone struck again when people gathered to help the wounded, and it counts 80 dead.
How Many People Died
Three local bodies put the toll at about 150 civilians killed and more than 120 injured. They are the Supreme Council for Dar Hamar Affairs, the civil group Qimam and the Al-Dabab emergency room.
Radio Dabanga’s own summary spoke of more than 200 people killed and injured, and its headline said dozens. All of these counts come from relatives and local groups, so the Sudan drone strike toll may change.
Who Is Blamed
Radio Dabanga’s headline attributes the strikes on Al-Dabab and nearby Al-Majlad to the armed forces, the Sudanese army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. The Tasis alliance, a political bloc that backs the Rapid Support Forces, said it suspected a Turkish-made Bayraktar Akinci drone belonging to the army.
The Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary force led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, fight the army for control of Darfur and Kordofan. A Tasis spokesperson called the attack a war crime and a crime against humanity.
Drones Over Khartoum on Monday
On Monday morning 19 October, drones attacked Khartoum, the capital, and tried to hit its airport, Radio Dabanga reported. Military sources told the outlet that the army shot down two drones, which it attributed to the Rapid Support Forces.
Falling drones killed three children, including two brothers, and a man at two sites east of the airport and in the Nasser extension district. Sudan Tribune, an independent news site, had earlier reported air defences downing two drones over the Burri and Nasir districts.
A Pattern of Strikes on Markets
On Friday 16 October, a strike hit a livestock market in Nyala, capital of South Darfur, and Tasis said 30 civilians died, Sudan Tribune reported. On Saturday 17 October, a drone hit a lorry near Ankush in West Kordofan, killing four, the Kordofan Observatory said.
On Sunday 18 October, drones also targeted the Atbara and Setit dam complex and the town of Gedaref in eastern Sudan, Radio Dabanga reported. Air defences reportedly intercepted them, and no casualties were reported.
What Prediction Markets Say
Polymarket, a crypto-based betting platform, priced a Sudan ceasefire by 31 December 2026 at 8.5% on Monday 19 October at 3:05 p.m. ET. The price fell 2.5 points in 24 hours, and about US$120,000 has been traded on the event.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for US Readers
The Sudan IMPACT Act, introduced in the US House on Wednesday 14 October, would open a minerals and trade partnership only under a civilian-led authority. The bill by Congressman Jim Baird also requires the Secretary of State to confirm a clear fall in violence against civilians first, Sudan Tribune reported.
Radio Dabanga reports growing international calls to extend the arms embargo from Darfur to all of Sudan. Background is in Sudan’s war and its backers and the Sudan minerals bill.
What Is Not Known
The final Sudan drone strike toll is open, and the counts of 100, 150 and over 200 killed and injured come from local groups. Neither the army nor the Rapid Support Forces has published its own account of the Al-Dabab strike.
It is also unclear whether the target was a market, a truck or both, and who was flying the aircraft. No independent body has yet announced an investigation.
More: Sudan news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the Sudan drone strike happen?
The Sudan drone strike hit Al-Dabab, a town in West Kordofan state, on Sunday 18 October 2026. A second, smaller drone strike hit nearby Al-Majlad and injured at least two people.
How many people died in the Al-Dabab strike?
Relatives put the toll at more than 100 dead, and three local bodies counted about 150 civilians killed and over 120 injured. These counts come from relatives and local groups, and the toll may change.
Who carried out the Sudan drone strike?
Radio Dabanga’s headline attributes it to the Sudanese army, and the Tasis alliance, which backs the Rapid Support Forces, blames the army. The army has not published a statement.
What happened in Khartoum on Monday?
Drones launched by the Rapid Support Forces targeted Khartoum airport and other sites on Monday 19 October, Radio Dabanga reported. Falling drones killed three children and a man, and the army says it shot down two.
Why does the Sudan drone strike matter to the United States?
Congress is weighing a bill that ties a partnership on Sudan’s minerals and trade to protecting civilians. Calls are also growing to widen the UN arms embargo, which covers only Darfur.
Sources: Radio Dabanga (Arabic), 19 October 2026; Radio Dabanga (Arabic), 19 October 2026; Radio Dabanga, 18 October 2026; Sudan Tribune, 19 October 2026; Sudan Tribune, 16 October 2026; Sudan Tribune (Arabic), 14 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief