Rights group says Sudan drone strike killed 35 at Darfur court
Emergency Lawyers says a drone strike hit a civil court in Al-Zawiya Gara village in Sudan’s North Darfur State on August 2, killing at least 35 people. The allegation was reported by The Associated Press.
The rights group attributed the strike to the Sudanese army and described the court as a civilian facility with judicial and social functions. AP said it could not independently verify the reported strike, the death toll or responsibility for the attack. The Sudanese army had not responded to AP’s requests for comment at the time of publication.
Rights group calls for an investigation
Emergency Lawyers called for an investigation and said attacks on civilians and civilian objects violate international humanitarian law. That is the group’s legal assessment and call for action, not an independent finding that this specific incident constituted a particular international crime.
The reported location matters because a civil court can provide judicial and social services in a community already affected by war and displacement. If such facilities are attacked or forced to suspend work, residents may face greater difficulty accessing courts, records and other basic services. The available reporting does not establish whether the court was destroyed, closed or rendered unusable.
UN warns drones are driving civilian harm
The reported strike comes as the United Nations documents a broader rise in drone attacks during Sudan’s war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. In an alert issued May 11, the UN Human Rights Office said drone strikes accounted for at least 880 civilian deaths between January and April 2026 — more than 80% of all conflict-related civilian deaths recorded during that period.
The UN said both sides had repeatedly used drones against civilian objects and infrastructure. Its documented examples included markets, health facilities, fuel stores and supply routes. The figures describe the wider pattern in Sudan; they do not independently confirm the August 2 strike in Al-Zawiya Gara or establish who carried it out.
In a separate July 3 statement, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said his office had documented 15 drone strikes on El Obeid and nearby areas between June 6 and June 28. Those strikes killed at least 45 civilians and injured 41, according to the statement. The UN also reported attacks on markets, schools, fuel stations, water infrastructure and civilian vehicles, warning that the damage was making it harder for civilians to obtain food, clean water, transportation and health care.
Attacks can obstruct aid and displacement support
The humanitarian effects extend beyond individual strike sites. Damage to markets, fuel supplies, water systems and transport can make food, clean water and medical care harder to obtain. Attacks on vehicles and supply routes can also delay assistance for people displaced by the fighting.
In a separate April 24 incident, the U.N. refugee agency said a drone attack struck a relief truck carrying emergency shelter kits toward Tawila in North Darfur. The driver escaped unharmed, but the supplies were destroyed, leaving 1,314 families without the planned shelter assistance, according to UNHCR. The incident illustrates how insecurity can interrupt humanitarian deliveries even when aid groups are attempting to reach displaced communities.
What remains unknown
Independent confirmation is still needed of the August 2 court strike, the final death toll, the intended target and the responsible actor. It is also unclear whether a formal investigation will begin or whether the Sudanese army will respond publicly to the allegation.
For civilians in North Darfur, the immediate concern is whether courts, aid routes and essential services can remain accessible as drone use expands. The next significant developments would be an independent inquiry, additional evidence about the reported attack, an official response from the parties and any changes in humanitarian access or civilian-protection measures.
Sources
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