Ahmed Abdullah Bishr Kater, known as Abu Tonga, chief of staff of the Sudan Liberation Forces Gathering, has died from injuries sustained in an October drone strike on his home in Nyala, South Darfur, the movement announced on Saturday.
Abu Tonga was wounded on October 19 when a drone struck his residence in the Al-Nahda neighbourhood of Nyala, killing five people, including his wife, two children and two personal bodyguards.
The Sudan Liberation Forces Gathering, led by Al-Tahir Abu Bakr Hajar, confirmed his death in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Fathi Mohamed Abdo.
The movement said the commander had succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack but did not disclose where or precisely when he died.
The strike, previously reported by The Sudan Times, was attributed to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) by officials from the movement.
Sources cited by Darfur24 said Abu Tonga was among several people taken to hospital following the bombardment.
A movement official previously maintained that the targeted building was a family residence rather than a military installation.
The Sudan Liberation Forces Gathering is a member of the Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS), which brings together the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), allied armed movements and political organisations.
Hajar represents the movement on the TASIS Presidential Council, chaired by RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemeti.
In its statement, the movement paid tribute to Abu Tonga’s military service, describing him as an early participant in its struggle and recognising his role in commanding its forces.
His death comes amid intensified aerial operations against Nyala, the administrative centre of the TASIS-backed government.
During October, drone strikes hit several locations across the city, including residential neighbourhoods and commercial markets, causing civilian and military casualties.
The attacks have drawn repeated condemnation from TASIS officials and humanitarian organisations amid mounting concerns about the protection of civilians in Sudan’s expanding drone war.
Abu Tonga’s death adds to the losses suffered by TASIS-aligned military formations during the conflict.
The SAF has not publicly established responsibility for the specific October 19 strike on his residence, and The Sudan Times could not independently verify the identity of the drone operator.
