Drone strike near a market in southern Sudan kills at least 80 people

At least 80 people have been killed in a drone strike near a market in Sudan's southern West Kordofan state, a medical source and a witness said on Monday.

The strike took place on Sunday in the town of Al-Dibab, hitting an area close to the market.

The high death toll is believed to be linked to the attack happening near a crowded public place. Detailed information about the identities of those killed was not immediately available.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the drone strike, and there was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Civilians in Sudan have repeatedly borne the brunt of the country's prolonged conflict, and attacks affecting markets, hospitals and other civilian areas have deepened international concern.

The Al-Dibab attack is the latest example of that pattern, and the loss of so many lives in a single day has deepened Sudan's humanitarian crisis.

Panic spread through the area after the strike, while work continued to treat the wounded and identify the dead, according to local accounts.

Attention now turns to international reaction and to whether further details emerge about who was behind the attack.