A drone strike on the Amiet Market fuel depot in the disputed border region of Abyei killed at least 153 people and ignited a fierce blaze on Monday, October 19, 2026. Caretaker information minister Yohana Akol Ngor blamed Sudan’s military for the attack, while a Sudanese military officer disputed civilian targeting.
Monday Strike at Amiet Market Kills 153
The Monday morning attack struck a fuel depot situated in the Amiet Market north of Abyei town, according to local officials. Yohana Akol Ngor, the caretaker minister of information in the Abyei administration, confirmed that the recorded death toll reached 153 as fires continued to burn into the following days. The market functions as a vital trading hub serving both the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities, handling goods such as sugar, flour, and biscuits alongside fuel shipments. Yohana Akol Ngor stated that the attack took place on Monday around 11:30 local time, approximately 10 kilometers from Abyei town. The information minister also noted that the oil-rich region borders Sudan’s Kordofan state, which has developed into a major center of fighting during the ongoing war.
An eyewitness who requested anonymity for safety reasons described the immediate aftermath of the explosions. People started evacuating the casualties. They had injuries from shrapnel on their stomach and legs … In one site, I saw 28 bodies that were burnt,
the witness told Reuters, adding that the witness reported seeing no signs of uniformed fighters or the paramilitary force within the trading center.
Conflicting Claims Over Targets and Military Responsibility
South Sudanese officials and the foreign ministry placed direct blame on Sudan’s military for the drone operation.
A senior Sudanese military officer defended the operation on condition of anonymity, stating that the army targeted fuel tankers arriving from South Sudan intended for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Ngor denied any Rapid Support Forces presence within the area, while the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei previously warned that the presence of the paramilitary force had increased insecurity in the territory.
A drone strike near a market in Abyei has killed at least 150 people.Fighting between Sudan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has intensified in recent days, as Khartoum accuses the RSF of hiding in the disputed region near South Sudan. pic.twitter.com/dN3xcIqZPM
Ameth Bek Hospital Treats Critical Burn Victims
Medical teams from Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, rushed to assist hospital personnel from South Sudan’s Health Ministry at Ameth Bek Hospital. Emergency responders faced severe logistical hurdles in recovering victims due to persistent fires across the strike zone.
So far we received over 20 patients, including several critical cases. Patients with burns were also admitted.
Dr. Christian Lindauer, MSF’s medical activities manager at the hospital
MSF reported that more than 20 wounded people were brought to the hospital following the Monday bombing. The humanitarian organization urged all involved parties to cease attacks on civilian populations and infrastructure, highlighting grave concerns over safe access to medical care.
Disputed Status and Wider Regional Conflict Context
The tragedy unfolds against a backdrop of prolonged instability stemming from the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces that erupted in April 2023.
Abyei’s political status remains exceptionally fragile. A 2005 peace agreement that concluded decades of civil war left the region’s governance unresolved, a status that persisted when South Sudan gained independence in 2011. A planned referendum stalled amid disputes over voter eligibility, leaving the majority Ngok Dinka population favoring union with South Sudan while Misseriya nomads favor Sudan. In addition to the border conflict, the territory has experienced deadly communal violence, including land disputes between the Ngok Dinka and neighboring Twic Dinka communities.
More on Abyei
A #dronestrike on a market in #Abyei, a border region disputed by Sudan and South Sudan, hit a nearby fuel depot, killing at least 153 people and igniting a #fire that was still burning Tuesday, a local official said.https://t.co/13RXMa0oK8
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