Hundreds of civilians killed in devastating air strike in Sudan!

Hundreds of civilians killed in devastating air strike in Sudan!

A Sudanese army airstrike on a market in Tora, Darfur today resulted in a devastating massacre. According to reports from activists, “hundreds of civilians” were killed. The army's fighter jets carried out what was described as an "indiscriminate" attack that claimed numerous innocent lives. The Emergency Lawyers organization reported a “terrible massacre” and spoke of hundreds of civilians killed and dozens more seriously injured. This tragedy is the latest manifestation of a bloody power struggle that has been raging since April 2023 between the army led by Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary RSF militia led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. oe24 reports that both sides of the conflict are accused of war crimes.

The conflict in Sudan has already claimed tens of thousands of lives since it began in April 2023. More than 12 million people have fled violence within and from Sudan. At the same time, the UN reported an alarming humanitarian crisis, with over 26 million people starving - about half of Sudan's population. Medical care in the country has largely collapsed, leading to a rise in diseases such as cholera, malaria and measles.

Humanitarian crisis

According to information from Deutschlandfunk Humanitarian aid in the region is severely restricted because numerous aid measures are not permitted by the parties to the conflict. It was not until November 2024 that people in a refugee camp in North Darfur began receiving food rations from the World Food Program (WFP). It is estimated that Sudan will need $4.2 billion in humanitarian aid by 2025.

International efforts to end the conflict have so far failed, with the last initiative being in August 2024. The war in Darfur has also become one of the world's most acute humanitarian crises, with fears of ethnic attacks and possible genocide. The International Criminal Court is investigating genocide, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.

Historical context

Sudan has a long history of military coups and dictatorship, particularly under former leader Omar Al-Bashir, who came to power in 1989. After his overthrow in 2019, civil-military power was shared, but tensions remained. A military coup in 2021 led to further escalation, and the RSF were to be absorbed into the regular army, provoking additional conflict.

The current conflict highlights the deep fissures in Sudanese society and the enormous need for international support and humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population and find a path back to peace and stability.