The Sudanese Armed Forces continue to escalate aerial attacks using unmanned combat drones at an increasing pace and in a manner characterized by indiscriminate strikes on densely populated civilian areas. This pattern reflects a blatant disregard for human life and a complete absence of distinction between combatants and non-combatants. In one of the deadliest attacks since the outbreak of the war, a Turkish-made “Akıncı” drone targeted Kateela locality in South Darfur—located approximately 90 kilometers southwest of Nyala—at exactly 1:00 p.m. Sudan time on Monday, 8 December 2025.
This report is based on direct interviews conducted by the organization with families of victims, eyewitnesses, and local community leaders. All testimonies confirmed that the drone was carrying six missiles, which were launched consecutively at the Kateela Grand Market, the vicinity of the Police Department, and subsequently at Al-Sayhni Mixed Basic School and Kateela Mother School. These locations were packed with civilians who had gathered to receive the Head of the Civil Administration of South Darfur during an official visit. The attack resulted in the deaths of no fewer than 100 civilians—most of them women, children, and elderly persons—and injured approximately 90 others. Four individuals remain unaccounted for. The wounded were transferred to the localities of Tulus and Ad-Dafaras, as well as to the city of Nyala; however, hospitals were nearly incapable of receiving the influx of casualties due to severe shortages of medical supplies and specialized personnel. A doctor reported that several patients did not receive any first aid at all.
Although some of the targeted areas may have included individuals involved in the conflict, launching multiple missiles into crowded civilian zones constitutes a grave and unjustifiable military error and demonstrates clear contempt for international humanitarian law—particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality. Even in the presence of a potential military objective, conducting an attack of such intensity in the midst of a civilian gathering makes mass casualties virtually inevitable and transforms the strike into an indiscriminate and prohibited attack under Article 51 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions. The repeated nature of such attacks—using precise, high-impact weaponry—also suggests a systematic retaliatory pattern that may amount to crimes against humanity or acts of an exterminatory nature under international legal standards.
The Darfur Victims Support Organization holds the Port Sudan government, led by Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, fully responsible for this attack, including the responsibility of states that supplied or supported the operation of the drones used—chiefly Turkey, Iran, and Qatar—especially given the clear indications that these states are aware that their military equipment is being used in operations causing massive civilian casualties.
The organization calls on the United Nations, the African Union, and regional and international human rights bodies to take immediate measures to protect civilians in South Darfur, to exert pressure to halt aerial attacks, to dispatch independent investigative missions, and to provide urgent medical and humanitarian assistance to the injured.
List of the Deceased (Preliminary):
Madhawi Mohamed Dwalbeit (45), Khadija Mohamed Yousif (40), Mohamed Adam Abdelrahim (20), Issa Adam Hussein (60), Bukhari Mohamedain, Mahasin Abu-Zoma Edam, Hussein Silk, Mohamed Abdelaziz, Jaafar Adroob, Al-Taj Radwan Al-Zein, Mohamed Adam Bukhari, Jamal Adam (Wid Basha), Matar, Keltouma Abdelrahman, Mosgar from Sissaban, Yousif Ahmed Adam Tahir, Ayman Awad Balk, Mohamed Mohamedain, Wael Hamid, Abdelrazek Al-Tom, Mohamed Abdelrahim, Rommel Yahya, Hamadi Abdo Shin, Mahmoud Abkar Mboola, Habab Hassoun Al-Ghali, Al-Taj Radwan Al-Zein, Hamdan Ahmed Yaqoub, Adam Haroun Abdullah, Mohamed Abdullah Issa, Jamal Abdelrahim, Ezzeldin Ishaq, Al-Tayeb Mohamed Abdullah, Mohamed Adam Tahir, Ahmed Adam Obeid Abdullah, Ali Adam Obeid Abdullah, Al-Noor Ali Mohamed Ramadan, Jamal Abdelrahim, Hamadi Abdo, Hajar Mohamed Adam Khalil, Hassan Silk, Ayman Awad, Hafiz Mohamed Yousef, Bukhari Mohamedain, Adam Abdullah, Abdennour Tabreek, Al-Noor Abdullah Al-Tahir, Al-Dageel Awadallah Qassari, Mohamed Ali Sanabo, in addition to eight charred bodies that remain unidentified.
Missing Persons:
Malik Ahmed Mohamed, Babiker Al-Habib, Hassan Adam Omar, Babiker Abdelrahim.
List of the Injured (as currently documented):
Sheikh Adam Abdelrahim Bukhari, Al-Omda Adam Mohamed Wajo, Adam Ismail Bahr, Al-Tayeb Adouma, Tayba Adam Hamid, Nour-Eldin Al-Hadi Bashir, Kamal Abdullah, Mohsen Hassan Ali, Laila Wadi, Laila Adam Taj Al-Din, Tammo Adam Hassan, Wid Al-Tayeb Adam, Al-Omda Yaqoub Wadi, Jamal Al-Din Al-Omda, Wid Al-Omda Tijani, Hassan Adam Ali, Ali Adam Ali, Saleh Mohi Ali, Al-Tayeb Mohamed Ali, Al-Doom Mohamed Ali, Taysir Mohamed Ali, Maki Mohamed Ali, Al-Madina Al-Doom, Al-Doom Abdullah Al-Doom, Asha Mohamed, Safia Mohamed, Mariam Mohamed, Mariam Jamal Ahmed Balogh, Salwa Al-Din, Khadija Mohamed, Kulthum Abkar Abdullah, Abdullah Suleiman Abdu, Tabkar Al-Doom Saad, Laila Al-Doom Saad, Kaltam Zain Al-Din, Ali Zain Al-Din, Abed Zain Al-Din, Ali Ibrahim, Salma Ibrahim, Fawzi Bakri, Awatif Adam, Adam Al-Tayeb, Tayba Adam Al-Sheikh, Al-Hadi Mohamedain Ali, Suad Adam Hassan, Abdullah Ali, Hawaa Adam Othman, Othman Ali Yaqoub, Hajja Suad Al-Doom Sharaf, Al-Sayed Mohamed Ali, Mohamed Yahya Ali, Hosni Ali Hamdallah, Al-Doom Ali Yaqoub, Nour-Eldin Hamdani Adam, Jamal Al-Din Yaqoub, Al-Sayed Omar Hosni, Taj Al-Din Ali, Sharif Adam, Al-Noor Abdelrahman Saad, Kalthoum Al-Doom Adam, Mohamedain Al-Hassan, Sayda Tijani, Awadiya Al-Tayeb, Aboud Al-Hadi Mohamed, Faiza Abdullah Al-Doom, Al-Doom Al-Tayeb Al-Doom, Adam Mostafa Yahya, Ikram Al-Tahir Mohamed, Mohamedain Yaqoub, Fatima Al-Hussein, Abkar Al-Doom Yahya, Mohamed Ali Al-Doom, Hajja Fatiha, Bent Bakri, Tom Othman, Hamid Awad, Helou Adam Mohamed Issa, Abdelrahman Abdullah Obeid.
Documentation remains ongoing due to limited communications and restricted access to the affected areas.
