SAF Drone Strikes Market in Abu Zaima, North Kordofan: 5 Killed

A Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) drone struck a market in Abu Zaima, North Kordofan State, killing at least 5 people on May 9, 2026. The strike continues the relentless pattern of aerial attacks on civilian markets and civilian-adjacent infrastructure across Sudan's conflict zones in 2026. North Kordofan has been one of the primary theaters for cross-drone-strike warfare throughout April–May 2026: RSF drones killed 13 El Obeid civilians including 8 children on April 24–25, and continued striking the state capital through early May, while SAF has conducted reciprocal strikes on RSF-controlled and contested towns in the state. The Abu Zaima market strike is the latest data point in the UN's documented toll of 700+ civilians killed by drones in Q1 2026 alone, with North and South Kordofan accounting for the majority of those deaths. Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilians.