At least 153 people were reported killed after a drone strike hit Amiet Market in Abyei, a disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan, on Monday, October 19. A nearby fuel depot caught fire, and local officials said the death toll could rise. The figure is attributed to Abyei authorities and was reported by the Associated Press on October 20.
What happened at Amiet Market?
The strike hit the market area and a fuel depot. Abyei official Yohanna Akol Ngor blamed Sudan’s military. A senior Sudanese military officer separately confirmed the army carried out a strike, saying it targeted fuel tankers believed to be headed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and denied deliberately targeting civilians. These accounts do not independently establish responsibility for civilian casualties.
UN response and medical aid
The United Nations condemned the attack. UN peacekeepers provided medical help and firefighting support, while Doctors Without Borders treated injured people at Ameth Bek Hospital. The event highlights the danger to civilians and essential infrastructure as Sudan’s conflict continues to spill across a contested border region.
Why Abyei is contested
Abyei is claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan, and its status has remained unresolved for years. The market is a vital meeting and trading point for communities in the area. Humanitarian groups warn that attacks on public places and fuel supplies can intensify displacement and disrupt access to food, transport and medical care.
What is confirmed: a strike hit Amiet Market on October 19; at least 153 deaths were reported by a local official the next day; accounts differ over the target and responsibility for civilian harm. The toll and investigation may change as more information emerges.
Illustrative archive photo of a market in Kassala, eastern Sudan; it is not Amiet Market and was not taken during this attack. Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sources: Associated Press · Reuters
