A drone strike on Amiet Market in disputed Abyei sparked protests and a diplomatic dispute as local officials’ reported death toll rose from 153 to more than 220 and the U.N. worked to verify casualties.
The attack hit the market and a nearby fuel depot on October 19. It started fires that made recovery work harder. Protesters in Abyei the next day called for those responsible to be held accountable and urged the U.N. peacekeeping mission to investigate the bombing.
South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry summoned Sudan’s ambassador in Juba to protest. It blamed Sudan’s military for the attack. Abyei’s caretaker information minister first reported 153 deaths.
A later local report said he cited two mass graves, one with about 153 victims and the other with about 73. The higher figure has not been independently confirmed. UNISFA says it is still assessing casualties and that some people are missing.
An unnamed Sudanese military officer told the Associated Press that the army struck fuel tankers it said were headed to the Rapid Support Forces. The Associated Press could not verify the military’s account of the targets or victims. Médecins Sans Frontières said it was treating more than 20 wounded people, including patients with severe burns.
U.N. peacekeepers helped evacuate casualties and put out fires. Both Sudan and South Sudan claim Abyei. The strike adds to the dangers civilians face as Sudan’s war continues.