Since the conflict erupted in Khartoum in mid-April 2023, the lives of Sudanese civilians have been profoundly affected. The conflict has led to a significant deterioration in humanitarian and living conditions, with millions suffering from loss of livelihoods, destruction of infrastructure, and disruption of basic services, such as electricity, water, healthcare, and education. As a result of these harsh conditions, many citizens have been forced to flee or migrate in search of safety.
According to data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED), the conflict has significantly impacted commercial markets that are vital hubs for commerce and the local community. Between January and October 2024, 341 incidents of violence in commercial markets were documented in 14 different states in Sudan. These incidents resulted in heavy loss of life and property and citizens’ difficult access to basic commodities.
Incidents of Violence
The data shows that violence in commercial markets in Sudan was largely focused on the capital, Khartoum, where 152 incidents occurred, making it the most affected among other states, followed by North Darfur with 72 incidents, Al-Gezira with 22 incidents, and West Kordofan with 18 incidents. North Kordofan and South Kordofan witnessed 12 incidents each.
(Map No. 1: The map shows the violent incidents that occurred in different markets between January and early October 2024. Source: ACLED)
Given the distribution of violent incidents throughout 2024, the first months of January and February witnessed the largest number of incidents, with 61 incidents recorded in January and 56 incidents in February. As the year progressed, the frequency of violent incidents decreased relatively in March and April, with 22 and 19 incidents, respectively. Still, the following months saw a marked escalation, incidents peaking in September with 54 incidents recorded.
(Figure 1: Source: ACLED)
Patterns of Violence in Markets
As for the patterns of violence that affected markets, they included multifaceted violent attacks. According to ACLED data, 136 battles took place near markets, making them high-risk areas for civilians. In addition to that, markets were hit by 68 airstrikes that directly targeted civilian communities, as well as 27 incidents of artillery shelling that caused significant damage to commercial infrastructure.
This data suggests that markets, as key gathering sites for civilians and essential sources of goods and services, are increasingly prone to violence. This escalation shows the scale of the humanitarian crisis faced by Sudanese citizens, as the violence makes it difficult for them to access basic needs and exacerbates daily suffering.
(Figure 2: Source: ACLED)
Central Market Attacks and Landmarks Over Time
Incident Analysis
The Central Market is one of the popular markets for selling vegetables, fruits, and meat to low-income families. The market is located south of Khartoum, near a major camp that belongs to the Rapid Support Forces in Al-Madeena Al-Riyadiya (Sports City), and came under its control after the outbreak of the war.
In this research, the team focuses on analyzing the airstrike carried out by the Sudanese army on the coordinates (15.5403196, 32.5624007) in the Central Market area south of Khartoum, on August 15, 2024, as part of its attempt to regain control of areas dominated by the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum State. The Rapid Support Forces announced in a statement that dozens of civilians were killed as a result of the attack, saying that they included women and children, and adding that “the airstrike comes in disregard of international and regional efforts to end the suffering of the Sudanese people.”
Map No. 2 demonstrates the perimeter of the Central Market.
Within this open-source report, the team analyzed two videos documenting the airstrike carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces on August 15, 2024, and compared them with Google Maps images to identify the areas of attack. Another video analyzed documents the transformation of the Central Market into a weapons market.
At 4:25 p.m. on Thursday, August 15, 2024, an account on X (formerly Twitter) posted a video documenting the extent of the damage that occurred to the Central Market. While the person filming the video mentioned the presence of many charred bodies and burned cars, the team was unable to determine the time the video was captured due to the density of rising smoke from the airstrike.
The research team analyzed markers shown in the video to determine the location of the incident and identified two shops that sell construction materials, «Al-Rabat Hardware Store» and «Al-Shorouq Hardware Store,» appearing at the second 0:08 of the video, as shown in Image No. 1.
The team was able to locate the Al-Rabat Hardware Store west of the Central Market station by identifying the market’s area on Google Maps and searching for the name of the store, as shown in Image No. 2.
Image No. 3 shows the Al-Seeniya – Al-Markazi Bridge when the persona filming directs the camera towards the east at the second 0:32 of the clip, and a large billboard appears near the bridge.
The team searched on Google Maps, comparing the area by looking at the uploaded images. A billboard and the Al-Seeniya – Al-Markazi Bridge appear as in Image No. 4.
Alongside the video above, the team found another video posted on August 15, 2024, at 5:05 p.m. Sudan time. The video documents the damage occurred under the Central Market Bridge area, as many pages on social media circulated the video clearly showing the concrete pillars that distinguish the bridge from others.
The team identified the area of the airstrike based on the analysis of the previous videos, and it became clear that the area of the attack extends from the bottom of the bridge west to the area in front of the «Al-Rabat and Al-Shorouk» hardware stores, as shown in Image No. 7.
This was not the last time that the Sudanese army targeted the Central Market area, as they attacked it again with an airstrike on October 12, 2024, killing 23 people and injuring 40 others, according to statements from the emergency rooms in the capital Khartoum. The team was unable to find videos or images documenting this incident for verification. The team settled for the statements of the emergency rooms and monitored the circulation of this news on several news outlets.
The Central Market as an Arms Market
Sometime after the Rapid Support Forces took control of the Central Market, the forces were accused of turning the Central Market into a market where weapons, ammunition, fuel, and drugs are sold. The accusations came to a head after several pages on social media circulated videos showing the spread of weapons and ammunition sellers under the bridge.
The team analyzed a video published by an account named “Wad al-Jabal Hamad” on August 16, 2024, at 12:44 p.m., documenting the widespread of individuals wearing the Rapid Support Forces uniforms in the area below the bridge, as well as the spread of weapons and ammunition sellers.
The team also analyzed some footage to determine the geographical area of the video, as the second 0:11 of the clip shows the area below the bridge of the Central Market – Image No. 8 – while the the distinctive concrete pillars of the Central Market area appear at the second 0:59 of the clip – Image No. 9.
Image No. 10 demonstrates civil activity inside the market aside from the sale of weapons. A kiosk for selling vegetables and fruits is shown at the second 0:03 of the clip, while the rest of the video shows a noticeable decline in the sale of food commodities in the area below the bridge.
The video turns at the second 0:23 to show the area where the market starts from, showing pieces of accumulated furniture.
The timestamps 1:07 and 2:20 of the video show scenes of arms sellers and some weapons which are exhibited, as shown in Images No. 12 and No. 13.
Heavy presence of people carrying different types of weapons is also shown in the timestamps 4:49 and 4:54, as seen in Images No. 14 and No. 15.
The video contained other events which were observed by the team, including the intermittent sounds of ammunition being fired, possibly due to the area being the site of clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, or perhaps people testing the displayed weapons. Some discussions about prices between sellers and buyers can also be heard in the video, along with individuals wearing the Rapid Support Forces uniform. The cameraman is seen holding a bullet vault in some shots.
International Humanitarian Law and the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict
Many voices have escalated, denouncing the violations committed by the two parties to the conflict, the Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces. Amnesty International highlighted in a report the harm caused to civilians by the war in Sudan in several respects. After a legal analysis of the principles of distinction, proportionality, and indiscriminate attacks, the report concludes that the harm to civilians was “disproportionate and indiscriminate.” The report also notes that the continued suffering of civilians over a long period suggests that the parties to the conflict are not taking the necessary precautions to protect them.
Through analyzing the videos and open-source information covered in this investigation –which document the existence of an arms market in the Central Market area–, this section of the report aims to study whether the market was a legitimate military target and the extent of the Sudanese army’s commitment to taking into account the principles of precaution, distinction, and proportionality.
Military activity in the market, such as the sale of weapons and ammunition, intensified, making it of dual-use. The International Review of the Red Cross argued that “an ‘’ that serves both civilian and military purposes, a dual-use ‘’ is considered a military target in general.” The magazine also mentions the importance of the principle of proportionality and precaution and taking into account incidental damages, such as civilians having to stop using the market and the regressive effects resulting from damages, among others. The newly appointed Minister of Information, Khalid Al-E’asir, stated in his account on the X last August that the Central Market has turned into a market for selling weapons, ammunition, stolen goods, and drugs after the Rapid Support Forces took control of the area south of Khartoum.
Based on the above data, the market is likely to be a military target, but according to UN General Assembly resolution number 2675 which was adopted unanimously and applies to all armed conflicts, the Sudanese government is obligated to protect this civilian facility, as the Central Market is, originally, a civilian popular market. However, according to the videos analyzed in the previous paragraphs and in light of the documented events targeting the Central Market, questions arise regarding compliance with international standards for the protection of civilian facilities, as the fifth paragraph of United Nations General Assembly resolution number 2675 states that “military operations may not be carried out against residences and other facilities used exclusively by the civilian population.”
The International Humanitarian Law, which is based on the Geneva Conventions and its four treaties, regulates the conduct of hostilities in times of war, specifically the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution. The principle of distinction requires that a distinction must be made between civilians and civilian objects and military objectives, and civilians are protected by law.
The International Humanitarian Law frames the conduct of parties to a conflict – regardless of who started the fighting – and aims to limit the effects of armed conflicts in times of war. The law aims to protect all persons who do not participate in armed violence, which also includes the protection of those who are unable to participate in war, such as wounded soldiers and captives.
The protection of civilians comes within the provisions of the additional Protocol II to the International Humanitarian Law. The Protocol devotes a part to the protection of civilian objects, which is all property or facilities that are not used for military purposes, and includes vital facilities that meet the needs of the civilian population, such as homes, schools, hospitals, cultural facilities, and basic resources such as water and energy. The law also prohibits placing them under attack in Article 14: Protection of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, which states: “It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or disrupt objects that are indispensable.”
The precautionary principle is based on preventative measures taken by the parties to the conflict to protect civilians and limit harm to military objectives only. These precautions vary according to the military objective and the density of the population in the area under attack. The commitment of military commanders to these procedures is crucial in times of conflict, particularly in the case of countries that have ratified the International Humanitarian Law, such as the Republic of Sudan.
Principle of Distinction and Proportionality
Weapons used in times of conflict cause serious damage, particularly in highly populated areas, and the most obvious impacts are the direct effects of splinters and explosives. Conflicts also have less visible impacts, such as the displacement of civilians and disruptions to electricity supplies, among others.
The principle of distinction (one part of the International Humanitarian Law) is included in the Additional Protocol I in Article 48 to limit these impacts, as the principle obliges the warring parties to accurately identify military targets, avoid civilian facilities such as markets or targeting civilians unless they participate directly in combat operations. Complementing the principle of distinction, the principle of proportionality emphasizes that the incidental effects, such as civilian deaths or injuries and damage to civilian facilities or both, should not be excessive in proportion to the concrete military advantage expected from the attack.
The precautionary principle in the International Humanitarian Law obliges parties to the armed conflict to take feasible precautions and measures to ensure the legitimacy of the military objective and to avoid incidental civilian damage. Measures can be taken to verify military objectives, including warning civilians to evacuate the area before an attack or restrictions on the timing of an attack, the weapons used, and military plans. The principle also extends to obliging the parties to the conflict to avoid establishing military headquarters within densely populated areas.
International law obliges military commanders to consider the effects of an attack as part of incidental damage measured in proportion to the anticipated military advantage of the attack. These principles must be observed in urban areas so that attacks do not disproportionately come at the expense of civilians and infrastructure.
According to the above, the two parties to the conflict in Sudan (the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces) commit serious violations of human rights and the International Humanitarian Law, whose treaties Sudan had ratified in 1957 and 2006 and is invoked in the case of non-international armed conflicts (internal conflicts). The parties to the conflict also declared their recognition of the rules of the International Humanitarian Law in several agreements, including the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan which they signed in May 2023.
According to Al-E’asir’s statements that the entire market has turned into an area with military activity devoid of any civilian activity, the airstrike carried out by the Sudanese army on the Central Market in mid-October 2024, in agreement with the statements of the Emergency Rooms (field initiatives assisting those affected by the war) caused deaths and injuries among civilians.
The team was unable to find any evidence indicating the nature of the victims or whether they were women or children, and there were not enough videos showing the extent of the damage that happened to the market, which prevented verification of the Sudanese army’s commitment to the principle of proportionality to the number of civilians, if any, in the area.
