AT LEAST 1,700 civilians have been killed by Sudan’s air force in bombings of towns, markets and schools, according to a damning new report published today.

With the war between the Egyptian and Saudi Arabian-backed Sudanese military (SAF) and the United Arab Emirates-supported Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, which began in April 2023, continuing to rage, the Sudan Witness Project analysed attacks by warplanes that only the SAF is capable of operating.

Its rival the RSF does not have aircraft and concentrates on drone strikes, which were excluded from the research.

The RSF has been slammed by the United Nations and aid groups for allegedly carrying out massacres in Sudan’s western Darfur region, sparking accusations of genocide.

Mark Snoeck, who ran the project, said: “The RSF are being held responsible for a lot of damage and violations and I think rightly so. But I think the SAF should also be held accountable for their actions.”

The report analysed 384 air attacks conducted between April 2023 and July 2025 during which it said more than 1,700 civilians had been killed and 1,120 injured.

According to the report, there were 135 cases of residential areas being hit. Markets and commercial facilities were struck 35 times, often when they were crowded with people.

There were 19 strikes on health facilities, educational institutions and sites housing displaced people.

Mr Snoeck said the main patterns “strongly suggest that the SAF isn’t doing enough to avoid civilian casualties.”

The SAF did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but it has previously denied targeting civilians and insisted that air attacks are “directed solely at RSF gatherings, locations and bases recognised as legitimate military targets.”