Sudanese army drone strike kills 13 in North Darfur market

September 2, 2025 (MELLIT) – A drone strike on a crowded market in the North Darfur town of Mellit killed at least 13 people and injured seven others on Tuesday, a local official said.

The town, north of the state capital El Fasher, has faced repeated attacks by army drones targeting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), eyewitnesses said. They added that recent strikes destroyed RSF combat vehicles, fuel trucks, and offices.

Al-Ajab Rakza, head of the local civil administration, told Sudan Tribune that an army drone bombed a public transport station within the market.

He said the strike caused extensive destruction and added that Mellit has endured some 41 air raids since the conflict began, killing many civilians and destroying infrastructure, including markets and water sources.

The incident follows an Aug. 20 drone strike on a World Food Programme aid convoy in the same town. That attack drew condemnation from political and rights groups, with the army and the RSF blaming each other for the incident.