Compiled By: Mallami Haruna Dogondaji
22 OCTOBER, 2026
A drone strike on a market in Sudan’s West Darfur region, close to the border with Chad, has killed four people and wounded 23 others, medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said. The attack hit fuel reserves at the Adikong border market, causing large explosions.
What happened
The strike took place on a Thursday at Adikong market in West Darfur, Sudan. MSF said the drone hit fuel stores, and the explosions killed four people.
MSF blamed Sudan’s army for the attack. The army did not issue an official statement, but two officials said its forces were carrying out operations in the area against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Gado Mahamadou, MSF’s head of mission in Chad, said 23 people were injured. They included seven children and four women.
A repeating pattern
MSF said this was the second deadly drone strike in Adikong in less than a month. Earlier in February, an MSF team in Adré, eastern Chad, treated 18 civilians hurt in army drone strikes on a fuel market just across the border in Adikong.
The charity said drones are hitting civilian places such as markets, schools, health centres and water sources. It warned that the attacks put civilians and aid workers in serious danger.
“The war in Sudan is being fought with drones beyond the front lines,” said Esperanza Santos, MSF head of emergencies.
She added: “Civilians, including children, are being killed or severely injured in blatant disregard of international humanitarian law.”
Sudan’s wider war
Sudan has been at war since April 2023, when fighting broke out between the army and the RSF. The United Nations says more than 40,000 people have been killed, although aid groups believe the real number is much higher.
The UN humanitarian office, OCHA, said growing drone attacks across Sudan “are exacting a growing toll on civilians.”
UN human rights chief Volker Türk said he was appalled by the increase in drone attacks. He cited reports that more than 200 civilians had been killed by drones since 4 March in the Kordofan region and White Nile state.
Facts at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Adikong border market, West Darfur, Sudan, near the Chad border |
| Deaths | Four people killed |
| Injuries | 23 people wounded, including seven children and four women |
| Target | Fuel reserves at the market |
| Accused party | Sudanese army, according to MSF |
| Army response | No official statement; unnamed officials said operations targeted the RSF |
| Previous attack | Second deadly drone strike in Adikong in less than a month |
| Conflict | War between Sudan’s army and RSF began in April 2023 |
| UN warning | Drone attacks are causing a growing civilian toll |
Why it matters
Adikong lies near Chad, which has received hundreds of thousands of people fleeing Sudan’s war. Attacks close to the border can also affect refugees, traders and families who depend on cross-border markets and medical care.
MSF called for the immediate protection of civilians and humanitarian workers, saying armed groups must spare civilians at all times.
Call to action
Share verified information about Sudan’s humanitarian crisis and support trusted organizations providing emergency medical care. Before posting conflict claims online, check the source, date and location, and avoid spreading unconfirmed casualty figures.
