Location: Nuba Mountains Region – South Kordofan State
Locality: Al-Sunout District
Target Site: Um Jamina Market – Kasha Payam
This report documents an aerial attack that targeted a densely populated civilian market in Kasha Payam, Al-Sunout District, South Kordofan State. The attack was carried out by a military unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) on 6 January 2026, in the absence of any hostilities or military objectives in the area. The strike resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, including fatalities and injuries among women, children, and the elderly, constituting a stark example of unlawful attacks in violation of international humanitarian law.
Based on documented field testimonies and preliminary findings, the report concludes that the attack was characterized by a lack of military necessity, failure to distinguish between civilians and combatants, and clear disproportionality. These elements strongly support its qualification as a war crime and, should it be established that the attack forms part of a broader or systematic pattern of targeting civilians, it may also amount to a crime against humanity. This documentation seeks to establish the factual record, safeguard the rights of victims, and lay the groundwork for international legal accountability.
The Darfur Victims Support Organization conducted a documented field interview with a direct eyewitness from Al-Sunout District, who reported that Um Jamina Market in Kasha Payam was subjected to an aerial strike carried out by a military drone on Tuesday, 6 January 2026.
According to the eyewitness testimony, the attack occurred during peak market hours and targeted a popular civilian marketplace crowded with unarmed civilians. No armed clashes, military activities, or legitimate military objectives were present in or around the area at the time of the attack. These facts confirm the purely civilian character of the targeted site and negate the existence of any lawful military justification for the strike.
The attack resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, including deaths and serious injuries. Many of the victims were women, children, and elderly persons, with several injuries reported as life-threatening. This reflects the excessive and disproportionate use of force and a grave disregard for the obligation to protect civilians during armed conflict.
The names of the identified fatalities (more than 13 civilians) and the injured (18 civilians) are attached to this report.
The targeting of a civilian marketplace by a military drone, in a context devoid of hostilities, constitutes a grave and explicit violation of international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality, as well as the absolute prohibition of indiscriminate attacks. The nature of the attack, its timing, and the civilian location further reinforce strong indications of the deliberate targeting of the civilian population.
Accordingly, this act amounts to a war crime under the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. It may also constitute a crime against humanity if proven to be part of a broader or systematic policy directed against the civilian population.
