# Sudan conflict civilian drone attacks > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sudan-conflict-civilian-drone-attacks > Updated: 2026-10-23T14:59:35.000Z. Sources: 115. Developments: 11. A surge in drone warfare across Sudan has resulted in a rising death toll, with recent reports indicating significant casualties in several regions. In West Kordofan, a strike near a market and transport hub in Al-Dibab killed approximately 80 people; witnesses reported two strikes occurring ten minutes apart at a location where villagers were waiting to return home. In the disputed Abyei region on the border of Sudan and South Sudan, a major drone strike on the Amiet Market—also known as the ‘Ostrich Market’—has caused significant loss of life. Local authorities reported that at least 153 people were killed when the strike ignited a massive fire in the busy commercial area. While local officials attributed the strike to the Sudanese army, alleging 22 munitions were launched, a Sudanese military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed the drones targeted fuel tankers arriving from South Sudan intended for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), denying that civilians were the intended targets. Following the incident, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied involvement, stating the Sudanese Armed Forces have ‘absolutely no connection to this unfortunate incident.’ The victims in Abyei reportedly included South Sudanese, Sudanese, Ethiopian, and Somali nationals. The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) confirmed at least 80 deaths and 27 injuries, while local reports suggested the toll could reach 220. The South Sudanese government has summoned the Sudanese ambassador to protest the attack. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the African Union have condemned the strikes, noting the increasing use of drones is killing civilians, including women and children. By late October, the United Nations reported a lethal escalation, with at least 306 people killed and hundreds injured during the first three weeks of October. ## Claims - The Sudanese civil war has killed at least 59,000 people. (disputed by 3 sources) - At least 153 people were killed in the drone attack in Abyei. (corroborated by 22 sources) - Acting Information Minister Yohana Akol Ngor attributed the Abyei drone strike to Sudanese government forces. (corroborated by 21 sources) - The drone attack in Abyei targeted a fuel warehouse within the Amiet market. (corroborated by 20 sources) - Abyei is a disputed, oil-rich region claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan. (corroborated by 18 sources) - The fuel warehouse had previously been used by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for supplies. (corroborated by 12 sources) - The South Sudanese government summoned the Sudanese ambassador to lodge a formal protest. (corroborated by 12 sources) - The Sudanese military has not yet commented on the attack. (corroborated by 11 sources) - A drone strike near a market in Al-Dibab, West Kordofan, killed approximately 80 people. (corroborated by 10 sources) - The Sudanese army is accused by local authorities of conducting the drone attack. (corroborated by 10 sources) - The RSF claims the Nyala drone strike killed 17 women and five children. (corroborated by 9 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-23: Sudan denies involvement in Abyei drone strikes Sudan's government denies responsibility for drone strikes in the Abyei region that local officials say killed at least 153 people, including various nationalities. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sudan-denies-involvement-in-abyei-drone-strikes ### 2026-10-21: Sudan drone attacks kill over 300 civilians in three weeks UN officials report that drone attacks in Sudan killed at least 306 people in early October, targeting civilians, hospitals, and displacement camps during the ongoing civil war. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sudan-drone-warfare-intensifies-civilian-casualties ### 2026-10-20: Abyei drone attack kills at least 153 people At least 153 people were killed in a drone strike on the Amiet market in the disputed Abyei region. Local officials blame the Sudanese army, while the UN and African Union condemn the civilian casualties. 24 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/un-secretary-general-condemns-drone-attacks-in-abyei-and-west-kordofan ### 2026-10-19: Sudan war causes mass casualties and economic collapse A drone strike in West Kordofan killed over 100 people, while Sudan faces extreme inflation and economic hardship due to the ongoing war. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sudan-war-causes-mass-casualties-and-economic-collapse ### 2026-10-18: Sudan drone strikes kill over 160 people across multiple regions Escalating drone strikes across Sudan, including in Abyei and Khartoum, have killed over 160 people, causing massive civilian casualties and heightening tensions between Sudan and South Sudan. 60 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sudan-drone-strikes-kill-dozens-of-civilians-in-kordofan-and-khartoum ### 2026-10-15: Sudan: Drone strikes in Nyala and Red Sea kill dozens Drone strikes in Sudan have caused heavy casualties, including 30 deaths at a Nyala livestock market and at least 72 miners killed in the Red Sea state, amid intensifying fighting between the army and RSF. 12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sudan-air-strikes-and-drone-attacks-report-high-civilian-casualties ### 2026-10-15: Drones disrupt education and strike civilian sites in El Obeid, Sudan Drones in El Obeid, Sudan, are disrupting school lessons and striking civilian sites, including dormitories and textbook warehouses, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/drones-disrupt-education-and-strike-civilian-sites-in-el-obeid-sudan ### 2026-10-10: Sudan's Rapid Support Forces accused of killing 41 in drone attack A drone attack by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces on displaced persons in the Blue Nile province killed at least 41 people, including children, amid Sudan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sudans-rapid-support-forces-accused-of-killing-41-in-drone-attack ### 2026-10-07: Sudan drone strike kills dozens in Blue Nile province A drone strike attributed to the Rapid Support Forces killed up to 41 people, including women and children, near a displacement camp in Sudan’s Blue Nile province. Officials claim the drone was launched from-in 16 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sudan-drone-strike-kills-30-in-blue-nile-region ### 2026-10-05: UN Human Rights Council condemns drone strikes in Sudan The UN Human Rights Council condemned indiscriminate drone strikes and attacks on civilians in Sudan, calling for an immediate ceasefire and extending an inquiry into potential genocidal acts. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/un-human-rights-council-condemns-drone-strikes-in-sudan ### 2026-10-04: Dilling drone attacks kill four civilians in South Kordofan Four civilians, including a woman and a child, were killed in drone attacks targeting residential areas in Dilling, South Kordofan, according to the Sudan Doctors Network. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dilling-drone-attacks-kill-four-civilians-in-south-kordofan --- Cite as: Sudan conflict civilian drone attacks. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sudan-conflict-civilian-drone-attacks