A Sudanese army drone strike on a traditional court session in the Darfur region killed 35 people and injured dozens more, according to the Emergency Lawyers Group, a local rights organization.
The attack occurred Sunday afternoon in the village of Ghara al-Zawiya, which is under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The Sudanese army has not yet commented on the incident.
A witness told AFP news agency that the court session was taking place under a tree and included local community leaders. Among the fatalities were four tribal leaders and two RSF commanders. Another local resident told the Darfur 24 website that two drones flew over the town before launching more than four missiles.
The ongoing civil war between the army and the RSF, now in its third year, has devastated Sudan and displaced millions. The RSF controls much of the Darfur region in the country's west.
The Emergency Lawyers Group has called for an investigation into the strike, condemning the targeting of the court session as a "grave violation of international humanitarian law." The group also noted the increasing use of drones to target civilian areas and gatherings, which heightens risks for the population.
Both the army and the RSF have been accused of war crimes during the conflict. The RSF has faced accusations of drone attacks on civilians, and a UN fact-finding mission stated that the group's siege and attack on el-Fasher bore the "hallmarks of genocide." The RSF has denied these accusations.