Satellite imagery has revealed extensive burn scars in the town of Mustariha in North Darfur state, coinciding with field reports of an attack carried out by the Rapid Support Forces that reportedly left dozens dead and injured, according to medical sources.
Comparative analysis conducted by Al Jazeera’s Open Source Unit of images taken on February 22 and 23 — before and after the reported attack — shows a marked transformation in the town. Areas that appeared stable on Sunday had turned into darkened zones the following day, with multiple buildings burned and dense blackened patches visible across various locations. Damage to rooftops of residential and service facilities within the urban perimeter was also observed.
The burn marks extended into residential neighborhoods and around Mustariha Secondary School and other service facilities, consistent with local accounts alleging the targeting of civilian infrastructure.
The imagery aligned with a statement by the Sudanese Revolutionary Awakening Council, which said Mustariha had been subjected on Sunday to intensive drone shelling by the Rapid Support Forces. The strikes reportedly targeted the town’s hospital three times, as well as civilian homes, a mourning tent, and the guesthouse of council leader Musa Hilal.
