Drone attack in disputed Sudan-South Sudan border region kills at least 153

South Sudan authorities accidental Sudan’s service launched a drone onslaught connected a market, arsenic MSF says it is treating 20 wounded people, immoderate with terrible burns.

A drone onslaught connected a marketplace successful Abyei, a borderline portion disputed by South Sudan and Sudan, has killed astatine slightest 153 people, according to a South Sudanese official.

The Abyei administration’s caretaker curate of accusation connected Tuesday blamed the attack, which took spot a time earlier connected Amiet Market, northbound of Abyei town, connected Sudan’s military.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 4Sudan’s service claims dozens of RSF fighters killed successful Nyala attack
• list 2 of 4Food oregon medicine? The intolerable choices facing Sudan’s chronically ill
• list 3 of 4Drone attacks crossed Sudan escalate, 160 radical reported killed
• list 4 of 4Drone onslaught connected Abyei marketplace adjacent Sudan-South Sudan borderline kills 150

Yohanna Akol Ngor said fires continued to pain astatine the tract and that the decease toll was apt to rise.

He told the quality bureau Reuters that the “situation is terrible”, adding that immoderate bodies had been burned to ashes.

Blaming the Sudanese subject for the attack, South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said drones deed respective locations successful the market. It said it has summoned Sudan’s ambassador and called for its bluish neighbour to “refrain” from acts that endanger civilian lives and property.

There was nary contiguous remark from Sudan’s equipped forces.

A elder Sudanese officer, who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press quality agency, said the service struck substance tankers coming from South Sudan that were headed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

He added that those killed successful the onslaught were RSF members and substance smugglers, saying the subject does not “target civilians”.

Unnamed diplomats told Reuters the onslaught deed a substance depot successful the marketplace the RSF has utilized successful the past to proviso its fighters.

There was nary contiguous remark connected the onslaught from the RSF.

In a connection connected Tuesday, the United Nations secretary-general’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, condemned drone attacks adjacent Amiet Market and Todach, saying dozens of civilians, including women and children, had been killed and galore others injured. The connection did not place who carried retired the attacks.

The UN said galore radical remained missing and the decease toll was apt to emergence arsenic the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) continued verifying casualties.

Medical foundation Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, said it was treating much than 20 wounded people, immoderate with terrible burns.

The warfare betwixt Sudan’s service and the RSF, which began successful April 2023, has ignited a devastating humanitarian situation successful the country.

South Sudan says it has not taken sides, but diplomats accidental Abyei has go a cardinal way for RSF substance supplies.

Abyei is claimed by some Sudan and South Sudan, which became autarkic successful 2011, and is jointly administered. The oil-rich portion borders Sudan’s Kordofan area, which has go a large centre of warring successful the war.