The Sudanese Alliance for Rights is profoundly shocked and heartbroken by the drone strike carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) on a wedding celebration in Al Salama neighbourhood, Kutum, North Darfur, near Al-Awm School, on 8 April 2026 at approximately 11:00 p.m.
What should have been a night of joy, love, and community gathering was instead turned into an unimaginable tragedy. Preliminary reports indicate that dozens of civilians have been killed and injured, including women and children. Families have been torn apart in an instant, with the full scale of loss still unfolding. Some of the bodies remain unidentified due to the devastating impact of the attack, deepening the grief of already shattered communities.
The targeting of a civilian gathering of this nature represents a grave violation of the most fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, which exist to preserve human dignity even in times of conflict. Weddings, homes, and civilian neighbourhoods are protected spaces and must never be subjected to attack.
This incident raises serious concerns of violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution as enshrined in the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. The deliberate or indiscriminate targeting of civilians and civilian objects is strictly prohibited and may amount to war crimes under international criminal law, including the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
We are left mourning with the families who have lost loved ones, and we extend our deepest condolences to the people of Kutum. No words can fully capture the pain of a celebration turned into a site of death and destruction.
We call for an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into this attack to establish the facts, identify those responsible, and ensure accountability. In this regard, we urge the African Union, through the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, including its Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa and relevant mandate holders, as well as the United Nations Human Rights Council through its Fact-Finding Mission and relevant Special Procedures, to urgently investigate these violations and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable. We further call on the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to closely monitor the situation and support documentation efforts.
We further urge all parties to the conflict to fully respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and to take all necessary measures to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure at all times.
Sudanese Alliance for Rights,
09/04/2026
