Compiled By: Malami Haruna Dogon daji
19 OCTOBER, 2026
A tragic drone strike near a bustling market and transport hub in the town of Al-Dibab, located in West Kordofan state, southern Sudan, has left 80 people dead as they waited to catch trucks home.
The Attack in West Kordofan
The deadly incident occurred on Sunday evening in Al-Dibab, targeting commuters and travelers. Local accounts and medical sources confirmed the massive death toll resulting from the strike on the transport hub.
Ahmed Abakar Wadi, speaking to journalists using a satellite internet connection to bypass a strict communications blackout, shared his personal grief. He helped bury 50 bodies, including that of his own brother, Mohamed.
Nut graf
The reported attack comes as the United Nations warns that drone strikes have become a leading cause of civilian deaths in Sudan, with attacks recorded from El Obeid to Blue Nile and famine risk rising across Darfur and Greater Kordofan. Both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been accused of using drones against civilian areas, although responsibility for individual strikes is often disputed and difficult to verify independently.
What is confirmed, what is not
| Issue | What reporting establishes | What remains unverified |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Al-Dibab, West Kordofan, near a market/transport hub. bssnews | Exact strike point, whether the market itself was directly hit. |
| Death toll | 80 deaths reported by a witness and medical source to AFP. | Independent confirmation, final toll, full identity and demographic breakdown of victims. |
| Victims | Mostly commuters catching trucks home. | Whether any armed personnel were present or targeted. |
| Injuries | 47 people were reportedly taken to Al-Mujlad; 30 later died. | Number still receiving treatment and condition of survivors. |
| Responsibility | Not independently established in the AFP account. | Which side launched the drone and whether the target was military or civilian. |
| Communications | Witness used satellite internet because of a communications blackout. | Scope, duration and cause of the blackout. |
Key facts box
- Where: Al-Dibab, West Kordofan State, southern Sudan.
- When: Sunday evening, 18 October 2026.
- Reported deaths: 80.
- Reported injured: 47 taken to Al-Mujlad; 30 reportedly died from injuries.
- Victims: Mostly commuters waiting for transport home.
- Source of casualty figures: Witness account and medical source cited by
- Communications: Satellite internet was used to bypass a reported blackout.
Background: Sudan’s drone war
Sudan’s conflict began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces. More than three years on, drones have become a central weapon for both sides.
UN figures cited in recent reporting indicate that drone strikes killed more than 1,100 people in the first five months of 2026 alone. The UN Security Council was told this week that drone strikes are killing civilians from El Obeid to Blue Nile, while famine risk is rising in Darfur and Greater Kordofan.
The Al-Dibab report also fits a broader pattern of strikes on civilian movement and markets. On Saturday, the Kordofan Observatory reported that an SAF drone strike on a civilian lorry near Ankush killed four civilians, including three women; the vehicle was carrying patients and shoppers. Earlier in October, a drone strike blamed on the RSF killed 41 displaced people near the Ethiopian border, including eight children and many women, according to Emergency Lawyers and the UN humanitarian office.
Casualties and Medical Emergency
Following the initial strike, 47 injured survivors were rushed to the nearest available facility in the neighboring town of Al-Mujlad.
A medical source confirmed that 30 of those transported victims subsequently succumbed to their severe injuries during treatment, driving the total death toll up to 80.
The Social Call-to-Action (CTA)
What are your thoughts on the escalating humanitarian situation and security challenges affecting civilians in Sudan? Share your views on NTA’s digital and social media platforms @NTANetwork
