In brief
The air raid, which struck a crowded market, potentially qualifies as a war crime, as reports detail a rising death toll amidst the civil strife in the region.
An airstrike executed by Sudan's military on Monday devastated a bustling market in Toura, Northern Darfur, killing at least 54 individuals and injuring many more, according to local monitoring organizations. This attack has been recognized by these groups as likely constituting a war crime. As Sudan’s military makes significant advances in Khartoum, having recently taken control of the presidential palace, the focus has shifted to eliminating the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces from the capital.The brutality of this incident underscores the harsh impact of the ongoing civil war in Sudan, which has escalated dramatically over nearly two years. Graphic footage shared by the Darfur Victims Support group illustrated the horrific aftermath, revealing numerous charred bodies and destroyed structures amidst a ravaged market landscape. The videos were accurately geolocated to Toura through the Sudan Witness Project, a nonprofit dedicated to documenting potential war crimes, and NASA satellite data indicated a scorched area encompassing roughly 10,000 square meters.The actual casualty figures remain contentious, with various entities reporting different death tolls. While one local group noted dozens killed, international advocacy organization Avaaz suggested the number could exceed 200. Activists in Darfur have also produced a handwritten list of fatalities that confirmed 54 names, showing the alarming extent of the tragedy following this aerial assault.
