Sudanese Army Drone Strike on Darfur Civil Court Kills at Least 35
KHARTOUM — August 3, 2026 — At least 35 people were killed in a Sudanese army drone strike on a civil court in the Darfur region on Sunday, August 2, a local rights group said, in what it called a “grave violation of international humanitarian law” .
Emergency Lawyers, an independent group documenting atrocities in Sudan, said drones targeted the civil court in the village of Al-Zawiya Ghara (also known as Garra al-Zawaya) in North Darfur State at approximately 1:00 p.m. local time (1100 GMT) . The village is located near the town of Kabkabiya, about 150 kilometres (93 miles) west of El-Fasher, an area under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) .
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The attack occurred as civilians had gathered to attend hearings on local cases and disputes . According to a witness who spoke to AFP, the court session was being held under a tree with the participation of local community leaders . Among those killed were four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders .
International Law and Growing Drone Warfare
Emergency Lawyers condemned the attack, stating: “Directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law” . The group has called for an investigation .
The RSF’s self-declared government condemned the attack as “a horrific crime,” claiming 37 people had been killed and 50 wounded . There was no immediate response from the Sudanese army .
The strike is part of an escalating pattern of drone warfare in Sudan’s brutal conflict, which has been ongoing since April 2023 . According to the United Nations, drones have become the leading cause of death in Sudan, accounting for 80% of civilian deaths during the first four months of 2026 . More than 1,000 civilians have been killed in drone strikes during the first five months of this year, the UN reported .
The Darfur Context
Sunday’s strike highlights the intensifying conflict in Darfur, which has been a focal point of the war between the army and the RSF. The RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militia accused of atrocities in Darfur in the early 2000s . In October 2025, the RSF captured El-Fasher, the army’s last stronghold in the region, in an offensive that UN investigators said bore “the hallmarks of genocide” .
Both sides have been accused of committing war crimes, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians, but the RSF has been particularly accused of systematic sexual violence, looting and mass atrocities . The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and created what the United Nations describes as the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises
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