INTRODUCTION:
Since day one of the war outbreak in Sudan between Sudan Armed Forces SAF and the Rapid Support Forces RSF, the SAF Airforce launched attacks on RSF bases and civilian targets in the capital Khartoum. (140) days later, on September 3, 2023, SAF Airforce launched the first airstrike on Nyala in South Darfur State Sudan Tribune. However, according to multiple media sources, some (42) consecutive airstrikes were carried-out on several towns and villages in the five states of Darfur, resulted in multiple deaths and injures including children, women and elderly people, in addition killing of livestock. These successive raids caused damages on infrastructures, such as hospitals, schools, markets, including the most important bridge linking the northern and southern parts of Nyala, plus destruction of hundreds of houses. However, July 14, 2024 recorded the last two airstrikes on Nyala and El Geneina.
Information contained in this report were obtained have been gathered, analyzed, verified by SalaaMedia team from several sources.
The map below shows locations of affected by air strikes and damages
TIMING OF AIRSTRIKES:
SalaaMedia observations regarding timing of the airstrikes on Darfur towns varied from morning to noon and midnight; however, they were more intense in the evenings and midnights. From September 1, 2023, to July 15, 2024, there were about (6) raids in the morning, (11) during the day, (14) at night, (3) at dawn, and (8) with no specified time – according to media sources. Al Fashir town alone received about (12) strikes at night, (9) daytime and (6) in the morning. While Nyala was targeted by (2) strikes in the morning, (2) daytime and (1) at night. El Geneina was bombed once in the morning and once at night. There are no statistics on the timing of the bombing in Al Deaein.
Below shape shows the number and timing of airstrikes.
AIR RAIDS ON THE CITY OF NYALA:
Between September 3, 2023, and July 14, 2024, SAF air force carried out more than 15 air strikes at different times on Nyala, where the first three months of this year marked the peak of strikes. Other (8) raids were recorded, (the most aggressive one was on December 29, 2023). According to an eyewitnesses interviewed by Darfur 24, most raids on Nyala took place at midnight.
AIR STRIKES ON AL FASHIR:
North Darfur state have recorded the biggest number of airstrikes, by receiving (31) raids, mostly on Al Fashir, then extended to Melleet, Kabkabiya, Kutum, Donkey Al-Bashim, Al-Zorouk and Al-Kuma, as reported by Darfur 24 on March 25 and 26, 2024.
AIRSTRIKES ON EL GENEINA AND EL DEAEIN:
Western and Eastern Darfur got less airstrikes compared to Southern and Northern Darfur, where SAF Airforce launched three airstrikes on Al Deaein, leaving (44) dead and (62) wounded. While El Geneina was bombed only twice, killing (1) woman and injuring (6) according to Darfur24.
NYALA GOT THE HIGHST NUMBER OF AIRSTRIKES CASUALTIES:
Based on SalaaMedia’s searches on airstrikes carried out by SAF Airforce in Darfur, it is noted that the bombing intensified on Nyala and reached its peak after SAF troops pulled-out and RSF took-over the town. Evidently the airstrikes have contributed to increasing in numbers of victims among civilians. In North Darfur, airstrikes concentrated on Al Fashir, while battles continued between SAF and RSF, including Darfur armed movements who opted to fight alongside SAF.
TARGETING CIVIL Structures:
Between September 2023 and July 2024, airstrikes carried out by SAF Airforce destroyed large numbers of civil structures in Darfur, including hospitals, schools, residential neighborhoods, government buildings, power stations, markets, water points, and mosques.
TYPES OF AIRCRAFT USED FOR AIRSTRIKES:
According to eyewitnesses speaking to Darfur24 and Radio Tamazuj, most of them testified that, Aircrafts seen carrying out airstrikes, were likely MiG fighter jets, dropping rocket grenades and Russian-made Antonov, dropping barrel bombs. On the other hand, citizens in Nyala reported that the RSF used drones to attack SAF positions in the city center during fights.
VERIFICATION OF PHOTOS AND VIDEOS:
SalaaMedia team have verified accuracy of photos and videos showing SAF Airforce bombing towns and villages in Darfur. However, most of these photos and videos were posted by activists on social media between September 2023 and July 2024. SalaaMedia, proved that the published materials showing the volume of bombardment causing on civil structures and death of livestock, are not faked or tempered with.
Below links are showing the effects of some airstrikes in Nyala, Al Fashir, Al Zorouk, Melleet, Kabkabiya, Al Deaein and El Geneina.
Air strike on Melleet town
https://x.com/dvs2030/status/1783865845074034753
Air strike on Nyala
https://www.facebook.com/tarig.mackie/videos/266179969575632/?__tn__=%2CO
Air strike on El Genena
https://www.facebook.com/AlGnenaNews/videos/1531649207437778/?__tn__=%2CO
Air strike on Al Deaein
https://www.facebook.com/AJA.Sudan/videos/411295604802252/?__tn__=%2CO
Air strike on Al Zorouk
https://www.facebook.com/AJA.Sudan/videos/1032707684459925/?__tn__=%2CO
Air strike on Kabkabia
https://youtu.be/H5TCIb1jOdY?feature=shared
AIRFORCE VS. DRONES:
SAF’s Airforce used several warplanes, including Sukhoi fighter jets and Antonov bombers, according to eyewitnesses from different areas in Darfur. Clips posted on social media showed the RSF is using drones. According to Scramble website SAF owns 14 air bases in Sudan distributed in different regions, and after the eruption of war, RSF took control of a number of these bases, while still fighting to take control others, (See the map below).
Since the war broke out in April 2023, RSF claimed to have shot down several SAF jets fighter. On the other hand, SAF declared hunting down RSF drones, according to Al Jazeera. July 20, 2023. By searching RSF and SAF official and affiliated platforms, RSF reported bringing down two SAF aircrafts (1) in North Darfur on October 9, 2023, and (1) in South Darfur on June 13, 2024. RSF reports have been confirmed by videos showing the wreckage of the aircraft at the borders of South and East Darfur States.
According to Al Jazeera, RSF used drones in September 2023 to attack SAF Headquarter in Nyala. Videos posted by pro- RSF accounts on X platform showed bombing carried out by drones in North Darfur, which was confirmed by other videos posted by pro-SAF accounts showing the downing of a drone by Darfur Armed Movement forces fighting beside SAF. SalaaMedia team verified the circulated videos and proved its authenticity, however, the posted video coincided with the ongoing battles on the ground.
INTERNAL REACTIONS:
On May 26, 2024, Emergency Lawyers Group issued a statement calling for a transparent investigation to uncover the circumstances of repeated random bombing by the SAF’s Airforce and bring those responsible to justice. In a statement on April 26, 2023, the Coordination Body of Civil Democratic Forces (Tagadom) strongly condemned the aerial bombardment targeting civilians continuously since the eruption of war. In reaction to SAF’s Airforce airstrikes in North Darfur state in Kabkabiya and Kutum towns, causing a large number of deaths and injuries among civilians and called for an immediate halt to targeting civilians with airstrikes and artillery shelling.
In the same context, the Sudanese Congress Party (SCP) stated in a press release published on Al-Rakoba electronic newspaper that SAF committed new war crime in North Darfur within the series of crimes committed by the warring parties.
EXTERNAL REACTIONS:
In last April coinciding with Paris Conference on Humanitarian Issues in Sudan, the EU Commissioner for the Horn of Africa stated on EU Sudan Facebook page that “external actors are fueling the fighting by supplying money and weapons, and interlopers such as Iran are delivering weapons, including drones, to the Sudanese Armed Forces.”
In the same context, Ms. Martha Bobby, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs and Peacebuilding, told ambassadors at the Security Council, that the situation in Al Fashir is alarming, with relentless shelling, air attacks, and atrocities against civilians on ethnic bases (UN News, June 18, 2024).
Also, Human Rights Watch HRW stated in its annual report for 2024 that both conflicting parties in Sudan have committed crimes against civilians, especially in Darfur. HRW said, RSF and its allied militias have committed crimes in El Geneina West Darfur State. The report mentioned that, SAF carried out airstrikes all over the region. In September 2023, about (40) people were killed in South Darfur State – Nyala by air bombing.
Earlier this month, the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, called for immediate measures in Sudan, including impose of flights embargo and prohibiting heavy artillery (Sputnik news agency, July 10,2023).
In July 2024, the Council of the European Union adopted restrictive measures against six individuals responsible for working against transition and stability in Sudan among them Gen. Eltahir Mohamed Alawad, SAF Airforce commander, to his responsibility of bombing areas crowded by civilians since the beginning of the conflict (EU Council, July 24, 2024).