Escalation of Airstrikes in Sudan: Protests Against Civilian Bombing and Calls to Protect Innocent Lives

The city of Nyala, in South Darfur State, witnessed a massive march by citizens protesting against airstrikes targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure. This event occurred two days after military aircraft bombed a shelter for displaced people in a school in Al-Fasher, resulting in casualties and injuries.

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This incident is part of an escalation of airstrikes targeting civilians in several Sudanese regions. In Nyala, the bombing killed and injured dozens of civilians, most of them women and children, after military aircraft targeted a school housing more than a thousand displaced people. The attack lasted for more than an hour, with explosive barrels dropped on the schoolyard, exacerbating the human and material losses in the area.

This bombing is part of a series of airstrikes conducted by the Sudanese army in recent months. The Asleed organization estimated the number of airstrikes in 2024 at approximately 703. It noted that aerial threats, such as strikes by warplanes and drones, have become a defining feature of this conflict.

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Following the attack, widespread anger erupted in the city. Eyewitnesses described the horrifying aftermath, with victims’ remains scattered, while medical teams struggled to treat the injured due to a lack of staff and medical supplies.

Political parties and human rights organizations condemned the attack, calling it a war crime. They demanded the imposition of a no-fly zone and urgent measures to protect civilians. The Al-Oumma Party stated that the significant loss of life caused by these airstrikes necessitates banning flights over residential areas.

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Since last October, airstrikes have killed more than two thousand people in the Darfur, Khartoum, and Al-Jazirah regions in central Sudan, according to estimates from human rights organizations, including the Central Human Rights Observatory. The observatory added that indiscriminate bombings carried out by military aircraft constitute a grave violation of international humanitarian law and human rights.

Meanwhile, the African Union and IGAD, speaking from Addis Ababa, called on the parties to the conflict in Sudan to immediately and unconditionally halt the war to allow for dialogue and the restoration of constitutional institutions. This call was made during the inaugural session of a Sudanese-Sudanese dialogue, boycotted by some groups citing a lack of transparency.

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Furthermore, sources reported that negotiations, mediated by the United Nations between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in Switzerland, are focused on humanitarian aid and civilian protection. These efforts come amidst a bloody conflict that has displaced millions of Sudanese, caused thousands of deaths, and led to growing hunger due to the ongoing war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces.

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