Drone strikes kill more than 160 across Sudan, including children in Khartoum
A wave of drone attacks since Friday has killed more than 160 people across Sudan, according to medics and rights monitors. A strike near a West Kordofan market killed about 80, while another in eastern Khartoum killed three children. The UN says the attacks are also disrupting essential services.
By DoomRadar · Published on DoomRadar . Updated .
Places in the report
- Sudan[3]
Countries named in the cited reporting. Highlighting does not show the area affected. Map: Natural Earth.
How the effects could reach youConditional effects
Event date: The reported wave of drone attacks began on Friday, with major strikes reported on Sunday and Monday; the sources do not specify the calendar date. [1][3][2]
What happened
The deadliest reported incident occurred Sunday evening near a market in Al-Dibab, West Kordofan, an area held by the RSF. Residents and medical staff said a drone hit people gathered to find transport home after market day, killing about 80. [1][3]
References for this detail (2)
- RSF and army drone strikes kill more than 160 in Sudan, including three children in Khartouminvestmentwatchblog.com · Article published: Oct 19, 2026, 11:30 PM UTC
- Drone strikes across Sudan reported to have killed more than 160 peoplethemunicheye.com · Recorded source date: Oct 20, 2026, 4:16 AM UTC
Forty-seven wounded people were taken to Al-Mujlad after the Al-Dibab strike, and a medical source told AFP that 30 later died from their injuries. The figures describe one incident within the wider reported death toll. [1][3]
References for this detail (2)
- RSF and army drone strikes kill more than 160 in Sudan, including three children in Khartouminvestmentwatchblog.com · Article published: Oct 19, 2026, 11:30 PM UTC
- Drone strikes across Sudan reported to have killed more than 160 peoplethemunicheye.com · Recorded source date: Oct 20, 2026, 4:16 AM UTC
On Monday, an RSF drone strike hit Imtidad Nasir east of Khartoum airport and killed three children aged two to six, according to the reporting. The same day, a busy market in Abyei was hit and at least 19 people were injured. [1][2]
References for this detail (2)
- RSF and army drone strikes kill more than 160 in Sudan, including three children in Khartouminvestmentwatchblog.com · Article published: Oct 19, 2026, 11:30 PM UTC
- Sudan: UN Condemns Deadly Wave of Drone Strikes in War-Torn Sudanallafrica.com · Article published: Oct 20, 2026, 4:39 AM UTC
The reported attacks were attributed to both sides in Sudan's war. RSF-linked authorities and Emergency Lawyers blamed the army for Al-Dibab, while a military source said air defences intercepted RSF drones aimed at the Atbara and Setit dams; the RSF had not responded to that claim. [3]
References for this detail (1)
- Drone strikes across Sudan reported to have killed more than 160 peoplethemunicheye.com · Recorded source date: Oct 20, 2026, 4:16 AM UTC
Context from the sources
The UN said armed-drone use is increasing as Sudan's war continues, and warned that the strikes are killing civilians and disrupting essential services. The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and RSF began in April 2023. [2]
The attacks come as the UN says 20 million people face acute hunger, with famine risk rising in parts of Darfur and Greater Kordofan. That humanitarian pressure forms the documented backdrop to the new civilian casualties. [2]
Explore the sources and reporting timeline
3 source links · 3 domains
These counts describe the references, not independent confirmations. Different outlets can repeat the same original report.
Source timeline
Oldest to newest among the available source dates, not a chronology of the incident. Article publication dates come from the source; other recorded dates may reflect when a link was found.
- [1] RSF and army drone strikes kill more than 160 in Sudan, including three children in Khartouminvestmentwatchblog.comReferenced for: detail 1, detail 2, detail 3
- [3] Drone strikes across Sudan reported to have killed more than 160 peoplethemunicheye.comReferenced for: detail 1, detail 2, detail 4
- [2] Sudan: UN Condemns Deadly Wave of Drone Strikes in War-Torn Sudanallafrica.comReferenced for: detail 3
Questions answered by the reporting
What this could mean for you
Civilians may face greater danger around markets, transport hubs and urban neighbourhoods.
The reported strikes have hit a market gathering point, a busy market and an area near Khartoum airport.
Reported basis: [1][3][2] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: Further drone attacks continue in populated areas.
Possible time frame: days, if those conditions hold.
Local market-day travel and transport access may become less reliable or more dangerous.
The deadliest strike hit people gathered to find transport home after market day.
Reported basis: [3] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: Attacks continue around transport hubs or other civilian gathering points.
Warnings and emergency coordination may become harder if attacks disrupt essential services.
The UN said the strikes are disrupting essential services, though it did not identify specific networks or systems.
Reported basis: [2] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: Service disruption spreads or affects communications and response capacity.
Possible consequences, not a forecast. Their relevance depends on your location and the conditions above.
For your country
Choose a country to check how this event could affect you.
What changes the outlook
Risk increases if…
Further drone strikes hit markets, transport hubs or other crowded civilian locations.
Attacks damage infrastructure or continue disrupting essential services in areas already facing hunger and displacement.
Pressure eases if…
The SAF and RSF halt attacks affecting civilian areas and transport gathering points.
External actors stop supplying support linked to the continued use of armed drones, as urged by the UN official cited in the reporting.
Still unclear
The sources do not establish the full civilian death toll by location or independently confirm responsibility for every strike.
It is unclear whether the reported attacks caused lasting damage to the Atbara or Setit dams.
Market implications
Market impact
Sources (3)
References for the reported details. Separate links do not necessarily mean independent confirmation.
Available excerpt
Since Friday drone attacks across Sudan killed more than 160 people. The deadliest hit a transport hub near a market Sunday evening in Al-Dibab, West…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
Available excerpt
Drone strikes killed and injured dozens across Sudan on Monday as the ongoing war continues to cause soaring displacement and hunger. "We are alarmed by…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
Available excerpt
More than 160 people have died in a series of drone attacks across Sudan in recent days, according to medics and rights organisations. Emergency Lawyers,…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
First tracked by DoomRadar: . AI-assisted analysis · . Based on linked headlines and available excerpts. Methodology · Report an error.