Darfur Victims Support Organization
Report on the Aerial Bombing of Al-Kuma North Darfur state Alfasher – 21 November 2024
At approximately 7:30 PM on November 19, 2024, the town of Al-Kuma in North Darfur State was subjected to an airstrike carried out by the Sudanese Army’s air force. The attack resulted in the complete destruction of the town’s remaining market, claiming the lives of five individuals and leaving two children severely injured.
Details of the Attack and Eyewitness Accounts
The Darfur Victims Support Organization conducted interviews with residents of Al-Kuma, who described the attack as occurring during the Maghrib prayer. The airstrike targeted the town’s marketplace, causing an intense fire that obliterated the market entirely.
The following individuals lost their lives in the attack
1. Mohammed Jibril Adam – 23 years old
2. Adam Farajallah Khamis – 43 years old
3. Mohammed Sabil Adam – 52 years old
4. Asim Sabil Adam – 21 years old
5. Jalal Mohammed Adam – 12 years old
Two children sustained critical injuries:
1. Fadl Ahmed Adam – 3 years old
2. Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed – 5 years old
Alarming Deterioration of Conditions in Al-Kuma
Eyewitnesses reported that Al-Kuma now faces a complete collapse of essential services and infrastructure. The airstrikes have destroyed schools, the local hospital, shelters housing internally displaced persons (IDPs), and water stations. The destruction culminated in the total obliteration of the town’s market, which was reduced to ashes.
The Sudanese Army has deliberately targeted areas with high concentrations of displaced persons, such as Al-Kuma and neighboring towns, effectively hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid. This strategy appears designed to exacerbate civilian suffering and deter international and regional organizations from providing assistance.
Broader Context of Sudanese Army Actions
The use of indiscriminate airstrikes by the Sudanese Army serves as a significant barrier to humanitarian relief efforts. The army’s targeted destruction of IDP gathering sites highlights a calculated attempt to prevent the delivery of life-saving aid.
On November 18, during a United Nations Security Council session, Russia’s veto of a resolution to ensure humanitarian access and end hostilities was met with visible elation from Sudanese Army representatives. This reaction underscores the army’s unwillingness to pursue peace or halt hostilities. Their celebratory response to the veto reflects a broader pattern of obstructing international efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.
Demands from the People of Al-Kuma
The residents of Al-Kuma have issued urgent calls for:
1. The immediate prohibition of aerial bombardment in civilian-populated areas.
2. Accountability for perpetrators of these egregious crimes under international law.
3. The cessation of attacks on the town and other civilian areas.
4. International intervention to ensure the protection of civilians and the provision of humanitarian aid.
The bombing of Al-Kuma is yet another grave violation of human rights and international humanitarian law by the Sudanese Army. The deliberate targeting of civilians, coupled with the obstruction of humanitarian relief, reveals a systematic campaign to exacerbate the suffering of vulnerable populations. The Darfur Victims Advocacy Organization calls on the international community to take immediate action to protect civilians, establish no-fly zones in affected regions, and hold those responsible for these heinous crimes accountable.
The people of Al-Kuma, and all civilians in Darfur, deserve urgent protection and a path toward peace and justice.
