Strikes on Darfur market in Sudan killed more than 100, rights group says
Reports from Nyala describe a mass-casualty strike, but the death toll and victims’ identities remain disputed.
TL;DR
- A strike hit a market in Nyala on October 26, according to reports from witnesses and medical workers.
- Emergency Lawyers reported more than 100 dead, while Médecins Sans Frontières said teams at a hospital received 36 bodies.
- The overall death toll and the proportions of civilian and military casualties have not been independently established.
A strike hit a crowded market in Nyala, South Darfur, on October 26. Al Jazeera reported that Emergency Lawyers put the toll at more than 100 dead and 113 wounded, while Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) described a mass-casualty response at a local hospital. [1] [2]
MSF said teams at Nyala Teaching Hospital received 36 bodies, and the hospital’s medical teams reported more than 150 wounded patients; 21 of the dead were wearing civilian clothing. The Sudan Doctors Network separately reported a preliminary toll of 21 dead and more than 40 wounded, according to Al Jazeera. [1] [2]
MSF attributed the market strike to the Sudanese Armed Forces and said a second strike hit a civilian neighbourhood. Al Jazeera reported that an army-aligned spokesperson claimed a precise strike killed more than 150 militia recruits at a camp west of Nyala. [1] [2]
Witnesses cited by Al Jazeera described both fighters and civilian vendors among the victims. The outlet said access and security constraints prevent independent confirmation of the overall toll. [1] [2]
Why it matters
The attack exposes civilians to violence at a place where people obtain food, while conflicting accounts make the scale and nature of the casualties difficult to establish. MSF says attacks on civilian areas also affect access to food and supplies.
Editor's note
carried over from the 2026-10-27 pool; not previously published. Later accounts report sharply different totals and descriptions of the attack; the figures are attributed rather than reconciled.