A new investigation by the Sudan Witness Project, part of the Center for Information Resilience (CIR), has revealed that at least 1,700 civilians have been killed and more than 1,120 injured in airstrikes carried out by the Sudanese Air Force (SAF) on residential neighborhoods, markets, schools, and camps for displaced people since the outbreak of the war in April 2023.
The report — the largest known dataset on airstrikes in the conflict — documents 384 air raids conducted between April 2023 and July 2025. Researchers say these figures are “conservative,” based on the lowest verified casualty estimates.
According to the investigation, the SAF has used unguided bombs in populated areas. It recorded 135 strikes on residential districts that resulted in widespread destruction of homes and civilian infrastructure, along with 35 attacks on markets and commercial centers — often during peak hours. Another 19 strikes hit vulnerable sites, including healthcare facilities, displacement camps, and educational institutions.
The report notes that only the Sudanese Armed Forces operate warplanes, while the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rely on drones, which were not part of this study.
The military has previously denied targeting civilians, insisting its airstrikes are “directed solely at RSF gatherings, locations, and bases recognized as legitimate military targets.” The SAF did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment.
Sudan Witness acknowledges gaps in the data due to limited access to conflict zones, poor telecommunications, and difficulties verifying reports. Strikes on military targets are likely underreported.
Despite this, the analysis reveals clear patterns of repeated bombings in residential areas, markets, and humanitarian facilities — indicating, according to the report, that the SAF is not taking sufficient measures to avoid civilian casualties.
“Sudan’s conflict is really a war against civilians,” he said. “Air power and other heavy weapons disproportionately target civilian, more than military, sites.”
In several verified incidents, Sudan Witness identified bomb fragments, craters, and shrapnel damage at the sites of attacks. One such case included videos and images showing an undetonated air-dropped bomb lying in a crater inside Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur.
Using open-source digital evidence — including satellite imagery and geolocated social media footage — the project compiled an interactive map illustrating the scale of the air campaign and its devastating impact on civilian populations across Sudan.
