At least 153 people have been killed in a drone strike on a market in Abyei, a disputed border region between Sudan and South Sudan, after the attack hit a nearby fuel depot and triggered a fire that was still burning on Tuesday, a local official said.
Yohanna Akol Ngor, caretaker information minister of the Abyei administration, blamed Sudan’s armed forces for Monday’s attack on Amiet Market, located north of Abyei town, reports AP.
“We have recorded 153 deaths,” Akol told The Associated Press by telephone on Tuesday, adding that the death toll was continuing to rise as the fire raged.
He said the drone strike took place at around 11am on Monday and targeted a fuel depot that supplied local businesses.
“It is a horrible and shocking situation,” he said.
The motive behind the attack remained unclear, and The Associated Press could not independently verify who was responsible. Sudan’s military did not respond to a request for comment.
South Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also blamed Sudan’s military, saying the strike hit several locations within the market, causing civilian casualties and extensive property damage.
The ministry summoned Sudan’s ambassador to lodge a protest, urging the authorities in Khartoum to “refrain from any actions that endanger civilian lives and property”. It also called for disputes over Abyei to be resolved through diplomatic channels.
Following the attack, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said more than 20 injured people had been taken to Ameth Bek Hospital, where its medical staff worked alongside personnel from South Sudan’s Ministry of Health.
“So far we received over 20 patients, including several critical cases. Patients with burns were also admitted,” said Dr Christian Lindauer, MSF’s medical activities manager at the hospital.
MSF urged all parties involved in the fighting to stop attacking civilians and public infrastructure. The organisation also expressed serious concern about whether people could safely reach healthcare facilities and other essential services.
Amiet Market serves as a major commercial hub for both the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities.
The attack comes amid ongoing fighting between Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict began in April 2023, devastating large parts of Sudan and threatening stability across its borders.
The oil-rich region of Abyei has long been disputed between Sudan and South Sudan. Its political status remained unresolved under the 2005 peace agreement that ended decades of civil war and was still unsettled when South Sudan gained independence in 2011.
A proposed referendum on the region’s future stalled over disagreements about voter eligibility. The majority Ngok Dinka community supports joining South Sudan, while Misseriya nomads, who depend on the area’s grazing pastures, favour remaining part of Sudan.
Abyei has also witnessed deadly communal violence, including land-related clashes between the Ngok Dinka and neighbouring Twic Dinka communities.
