Drone strike on North Kordofan market kills at least 28, advocacy group says

February 16, 2026 (EL OBEID) – At least 28 people were killed in a drone strike on a market in Sudan’s North Kordofan State, the Emergency Lawyers advocacy group said on Monday.

The strike targeted the Al-Safia area, located northeast of the Sodari locality, during peak commercial hours on Sunday evening. The group warned that the death toll was likely to rise as dozens more sustained varying degrees of injuries.

The incident occurs amid a broad military escalation in the Kordofan region between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Both sides have increased their reliance on unmanned aerial vehicles, which has led to rising civilian casualties and the destruction of essential infrastructure.

The Emergency Lawyers’ statement did not explicitly name a responsible party for the strike. However, local reports indicated that the Sudanese army has been conducting intensive strikes against RSF positions in Kordofan since Sunday.

The rights group condemned the targeting of the market, calling it a grave violation of international humanitarian law. It noted that the presence of women, children, and the elderly at the site during the attack compounded the humanitarian tragedy.

The group also highlighted that the frequent use of drones in populated areas reflects a dangerous disregard for innocent lives and threatens the remaining aspects of daily life in the state.

The statement called for an immediate halt to drone strikes by both warring parties and urged strict adherence to international rules regarding the protection of civilians.