Armed Drones Leading Cause of Civilian Deaths in Sudan War
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has said that drone strikes in Sudan "accounted for at least 880 civilian deaths, more than 80% of all conflict-related civilian deaths" in the first four months of 2026.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned the rising use of these weapons in the brutal war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which is now in its fourth year. Turk warned: "... unless action is taken without delay, this conflict is on the cusp of entering yet another new, even deadlier phase".
Most of the civilian deaths attributed to drone strikes between January and April were recorded in the Kordofan region. Türk called on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians, including the safe movement of civilians from areas of active hostilities.
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Sudan:
RSF Claims Drone Downed in South Darfur As Attacks Continue
Dabanga, 14 May 2026
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said it shot down a military drone over Nyala as the city came under renewed bombardment for the fourth consecutive day. Read more »
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Sudan:
Sudan Conflict Enters 'Deadlier' Phase Due to Drones - UN
RFI, 11 May 2026
At least 880 civilians were killed in drone strikes in Sudan between January and April this year, according to the United Nations human rights office, which warns that the… Read more »
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Sudan:
Armed Drones Leading Cause of Civilian Death in Sudan War - UN Rights Chief
UN News, 11 May 2026
Drones caused more than 80 per cent of civilian deaths in Sudan's war during the first four months of 2026, killing at least 880 people, the UN human rights chief said on Monday,… Read more »
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Sudan:
'New Drone Attacks Exponential Threat to Children' - UNICEF Sudan Rep
Dabanga, 11 May 2026
The renewed drone attacks in Blue Nile, Khartoum, and other parts of Sudan pose an exponential threat to children. "This escalation is hindering our ability to deliver services and… Read more »
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Sudan:
Türk Issues High Alert On Widening Sudan Conflict Amid Increased Use of Drones
United Nations in Sudan, 11 May 2026
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today strongly condemned the rising use of armed unmanned aerial vehicles in Sudan and the deadly impact it is having on civilians, warning… Read more »
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Sudan:
Senior RSF Leaders Survive Drone Attack in Nyala, South Darfur
Dabanga, 11 May 2026
Independent sources from Nyala, capital of South Darfur, have reported that senior leaders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have survived a drone strike that targeted a house in… Read more »
InFocus
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A suspected drone attack by the Rapid Support Forces targeted Khartoum International Airport and nearby areas for the first time since October. Witnesses said that they saw plumes of smoke after the drone strikes, adding that another attack targeted the nearby Obeid Khatim Street, areas south of Khartoum, and El Murkhiyat military base in Omdurman.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) says that its
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As Sudan enters the fourth year of a devastating war, there is little prospect that diplomatic efforts underway can bring relief from the unimaginable suffering of the world's largest humanitarian disaster.
"Even the one bright spot to emerge from the war, the courageous mutual aid societies that sprung up across the country to deliver assistance and hope in the absence of international involvement are being slowly extinguished," writes analyst Cameron Hudson in a guest
Read more »
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UNICEF has warned that children in Darfur are facing a new humanitarian catastrophe, two decades after the region first drew global attention, but with far less international focus and support. The agency said violence has devastated communities and displaced millions across Sudan, leaving children once again trapped in an acute crisis.
In its latest Child Alert report titled Darfur: 20 Years On, Children Under
Read more »
A village outside El Fasher in Sudan's Darfur region lies silent after an attack.
