The key facts
- The death toll from the drone attack on the Amiet market in Abyei has risen to 153, with more people still missing
- An official of the Abyei administration blamed the Sudanese army; the army has not commented on the accusations
- 30 wounded are being treated in hospital, some in critical condition
Death toll rises to 153
The death toll from a drone attack on a market in the disputed area of Abyei on the border between South Sudan and Sudan has risen to 153. This was announced on Wednesday by the acting minister of information in the government of the Special Administrative Area of Abyei, Yohana Akol Ngor, in an interview with Radio Tamazuj. The attack targeted the Amiet market, also known as the 'Ostrich market', located about 10 km north of the town of Abyei.
Missing and wounded
According to Ngor, the 153 dead include those whose bodies were buried, but people are still listed as missing, so the death toll may rise. He added that the victims were buried in two mass graves — one to the east of the market, another nearby — and some bodies were charred. 30 wounded are receiving treatment in hospital, some of them in critical condition.
Accusations and reaction
Ngor blamed the Sudanese army for the attack, which took place on Monday. The Sudanese army has not commented on these accusations. On Monday, Sudanese media reported civilian deaths and injuries in a drone attack on the northern entrance of the Amiet market; according to those reports, the victims included South Sudanese citizens and members of the Sudanese Misseriya tribe. The same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Sudan summoned the Sudanese ambassador to Juba, Issam Karar, in connection with a protest over the attack on the market.
Context
Abyei is an oil-rich area granted special status under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed by Khartoum and Juba on 25 September 2003. The area serves as a link between northern and southern Sudan: Arab Misseriya tribes live in the north, and African Dinka communities in the south. The attack occurred against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Sudan between the army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2023 over a dispute about the latter's integration into the army. According to available data, the war has killed tens of thousands of people, about 13 million have been forced to flee their homes, and the famine and humanitarian crisis are considered among the worst in the world.
