Sudan army drone attack hits Darfur court, rights group says 35 killed

What happened

The Emergency Lawyers group reports that at least 35 people were killed and several wounded when Sudanese army drones struck a traditional court in the village of Garra al-Zawaya, North Darfur. The attack occurred on Sunday at around 1pm local time while civilians had gathered for hearings on local cases and disputes. The village is under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. A witness, speaking anonymously to AFP for safety reasons, described the court session as taking place outdoors under a tree with participation from local community leaders. The witness also said among the dead were four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders. The court building, which functions as a traditional institution for resolving tribal feuds, was damaged in the strike, the Emergency Lawyers group added.

This incident takes place in the context of a three-year civil war that erupted in April 2023 between supporters of RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Tens of thousands have been killed since the conflict began, which has also displaced millions and created a severe humanitarian crisis described by the United Nations as the world’s largest.

Known from the source

• Emergency Lawyers group reports a drone strike on a traditional court in Garra al-Zawaya, North Darfur, killing at least 35 people.
• The village is under RSF control.
• The targeted court serves as a local institution for dispute resolution.
• The strike occurred at approximately 1pm local time on Sunday.
• Among the dead were tribal leaders and RSF commanders, according to a witness.

What remains unclear

UN investigators have linked violence connected to the RSF capture of the key town of el-Fasher in Darfur with signs of genocide. Since the RSF’s offensive and control over parts of Darfur, both sides have intensified drone use. The UN reports that over 1,000 civilians were killed by drone strikes across Sudan in the first five months of 2026, illustrating the growing scale and lethality of aerial warfare in the conflict.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Casualty numbers and identities, including the reported four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders killed. Verification that the drone strike was conducted by Sudanese army forces, not other actors. Details of the damage to the court building and confirmation of the attack’s exact timing and location.

Evidence note

This story contains report-led claims. The article keeps those claims attributed and treats them as unconfirmed/hearsay unless independently corroborated.

Original source: Al Jazeera Sudan. Open the source.