Drone strike on Amiet market in Sudan's Abyei region kills at least 153, officials say

Summary

A drone strike on the Amiet market in the disputed Abyei region, on the border between Sudan and South Sudan, killed at least 153 people on Monday, and officials say the toll is likely to rise. Yohana Ngor, caretaker Information Minister in Abyei, said the toll had risen from 73 to 153, that recovery of the dead was continuing while a fire still burned, and that some bodies had been burnt to ashes. Ngor blamed the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, while officials in Sudan's SAF-backed government said the Rapid Support Forces was active in parts of Abyei, a claim Ngor denied. The National, citing Reuters and several sources, reported that the strike hit a fuel depot previously used by the RSF. The Government of South Sudan said it had summoned Sudan's ambassador to protest the attack and urged that Abyei issues be handled through diplomatic channels. France 24 reported that Abyei district authorities said the strike involved multiple munitions and was carried out by the Sudanese army, and an analyst said the army and the RSF show little difference in their disregard for civilian life.

Timeline

1. The National

   21 Oct 2026, 08:31 UTCSource ↗

   The National reports that a Sudanese Armed Forces drone strike on a fuel depot in Abyei has killed at least 153 people, with local official Yohana Ngor blaming the SAF and saying the toll from the Monday attack on Amiet Market rose from 73.

2. France 24

   21 Oct 2026, 19:28 UTCSource ↗

   France 24 reports that the death toll from the Monday drone strike on the Amiet market has risen to 153 and is likely higher, according to a local official, and that Abyei district authorities said the strike used multiple munitions and was carried out by the Sudanese army.