The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented a drone strike carried out by the Sudanese Army on Friday, 23 January, targeting Abu Zaeima market in North Kordofan State—a densely populated civilian site. The attack resulted in the killing of five civilians and the injury of approximately 30 others, including women and children.
According to available information, the injured were transferred to Al‑Dabba city in Northern State to receive medical treatment, amid extremely difficult humanitarian conditions and an acute shortage of medical services due to the ongoing armed conflict.
CFJ strongly condemned the attack on a market and civilian facility, stressing that the targeting of markets and civilian areas constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and amounts to a war crime, as it represents a clear breach of the principles of distinction and proportionality, which obligate parties to a conflict to distinguish between military and civilian objects and to avoid inflicting disproportionate harm on civilians.
The committee emphasized that the protection of civilians is not a political or military choice, but a binding legal obligation incumbent on all parties to the conflict without exception. CFJ warned that the continued use of drones to target civilian areas exacerbates civilian casualties, deepens the suffering of the population, and undermines any prospects for protecting civilians or mitigating the consequences of war.
CFJ called for an immediate halt to the targeting of markets and civilian areas by drones or any other means of warfare, and urged strict compliance with international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction, proportionality, and military necessity. The committee further demanded a transparent and independent investigation into the circumstances of the attack on Abu Zaeima market, accountability for those responsible, the guarantee of victims’ and their families’ right to justice and reparations, and the provision of adequate medical care to those injured.
CFJ stressed that impunity for crimes committed against civilians encourages their repetition and further deteriorates the humanitarian situation in Sudan, affirming that ending violations begins with holding perpetrators accountable, upholding international law, and protecting the lives of civilians.