Airstrike kills dozens in Darfur market
WFP convoy also hit in suspected drone strike
Dozens of civilians were killed and scores more wounded on Sunday after the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) carried out an airstrike on the main market in Al-Koma Locality, North Darfur State.
The bombing, described by local sources as one of the most intense and deadly attacks since last year, struck the market during peak hours, causing massive casualties among civilians, including market vendors, women, and children.
Eyewitnesses and human rights observers reported that SAF warplanes bombed restaurants and cafes at the heart of the marketplace, triggering panic and widespread destruction. A video footage circulated by local activists show dozens of bodies being prepared for burial by locals allegedly after the Al-Koma airstrikes.
While the exact number of civilian casualties remains unconfirmed, initial reports by the Koma Emergency Room put the death toll at 89, with many others suffering severe injuries.
“With deep sorrow and heavy hearts, we write about the tragedy that has struck Al-Koma locality today, June 1, 2025, following an airstrike carried out by aircraft belonging to the Sudanese Armed Forces. The bombing left behind innocent blood and pure souls who ascended to their Creator. Among those martyred were our beloved brothers: Nasser, Saleh Mohamed Hamid, Yousif Al-Faki, Hamad, and the son of Abdelrahman Matar. They were among the finest sons of the region – unarmed, posing no threat to anyone, simply living peacefully on their land among their people.”
“Preliminary figures indicate at least 89 killed and wounded. We consider them martyrs in the sight of God, and we say only what pleases Him: ‘Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we shall return.’ May Allah grant them His vast mercy, elevate their place to the highest ranks of Paradise, and keep their memory alive in the hearts of all who knew them. We pray that God lifts this injustice from our country and its people, spares the innocent the horrors of war, and protects the remaining souls under this wounded sky,” the Emergency Rooms said in a statement.
The Revolutionary Youth Alliance cited a lower death toll of “more than 40,” attributing the discrepancy to the ongoing difficulty of recovering bodies and verifying injuries in a region under RSF control with limited access to medical services and communication.
The Darfur Victims Advocacy Organization, in a separate statement reviewed by Sudan War Monitor, confirmed that 32 civilians were killed and several others wounded in the bombing.
“The Darfur Victims Advocacy Organization condemns the bombing of Al-Koma market by army drones on June 1, 2025, which led to the killing of 32 civilians and the wounding of others. This video documents the funeral procession and funeral prayer of the victims. The organization holds the army fully responsible and calls for a thorough investigation and accountability for the perpetrators. A detailed report will be released soon,” said the statement by the advocacy group.
Sunday’s attack is not the first time Al-Koma has come under fire. In October 2024, at least 45 civilians were killed and hundreds wounded in a similar airstrike on the same market. That incident followed another deadly SAF bombing in Melit locality, 54 kilometers to the northwest of Al-Koma, the same day.
The latest assault appears to reflect a pattern of aerial attacks aimed at RSF-controlled zones. SAF’s Air Forces has carried out repeat attacks on civilian targets in Sudan’s western Darfur region, homeland of the RSF paramilitary that mutinied in 2023, triggering a civil war that has raged ever since.
The Revolutionary Youth Alliance condemned the latest bombing, accusing SAF of committing war crimes and intentionally targeting civilian infrastructure in areas beyond its control.
“This assault amounts to a full-fledged war crime. It violates multiple provisions of the Rome Statute and international humanitarian law governing the conduct of war, which prohibit attacks on civilians and civilian objects,” the group said.
The group warned that such attacks deepen civilian suffering and reinforce distrust in the army's claims of legitimacy. It further called on international actors to intervene, and urged Sudanese political forces to pursue a peaceful end to the war.
Aid convoy struck by suspected drone strike
Just two days after the Al-Koma market bombing, on the early morning of June 3, local organizations reported a suspected SAF drone strike on a humanitarian convoy operated by the World Food Programme (WFP). The convoy was reportedly transporting food aid to El Fasher, the besieged capital of North Darfur, which has been surrounded by RSF forces since late 2023.
According to the Darfur Victims Advocacy Organization, the attack occurred at approximately 12:00 AM in Al-Koma locality, destroying four trucks and killing or wounding at least six humanitarian workers.
“On the morning of Sunday, June 1, 2025, Burhan’s army launched an airstrike targeting the main market in the town of Al-Koma. As a result of this treacherous assault, more than 40 civilians were martyred and dozens injured, as the bombs struck restaurants and cafes inside the crowded market at peak time, filled with citizens and street vendors.
“The Revolutionary Youth Alliance strongly condemns the continued targeting of unarmed civilians and civilian infrastructure by airstrikes, which constitutes a blatant violation of the laws of war, rules of engagement, and international law. This attack amounts to a full-fledged war crime, violating several provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court related to the laws and customs of land warfare, which prohibit the bombing of civilian homes and facilities,” the organization said in a statement.
The WFP has not yet issued a statement confirming the incident, but had previously announced that a convoy left El-Dabba in Northern State on May 14 headed for El Fasher.
The organization called on the UN Security Council to launch an independent investigation and warned that continued attacks on humanitarian aid risk exacerbating famine conditions in war-affected regions of Darfur.
Bombings follow SAF setbacks in Kordofan
The escalation in SAF airstrikes comes after battlefield losses in the Kordofan region. On May 1, the RSF captured An-Nahud, the de facto capital of West Kordofan State, following an offensive that disrupted SAF supply lines and coordination across the region. In response, SAF launched a counteroffensive from El-Obeid, regaining control of Umm Sumaymah and Al-Khuwei in North Kordofan, and pushing southward to capture Al-Hamadi and Al-Debeibat in South Kordofan, reaching within 40 kilometers of the strategic town of Dilling, which remains under joint RSF and SPLM-North siege.
However, RSF forces launched a two-pronged counteroffensive, quickly overrunning SAF positions and retaking all previously lost towns, including Kazigil, a SAF-controlled position south of the state capital El-Obeid.
The rapid SAF losses appear to have triggered a renewed reliance on aerial bombardments, especially in RSF-controlled areas of Darfur, where SAF ground presence is limited and air dominance remains one of the few tactical advantages.
The war, now in its third year, has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths, mass displacement across Sudan, and the near-total collapse of state institutions in the Darfur and Kordofan regions. The conflict between the SAF and RSF has escalated into a fragmented, multi-front war with international implications and growing humanitarian consequences.
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