Geneva: At least 880 civilians were killed in drone strikes in Sudan between January and April this year, the United Nations (UN) said Monday, warning such attacks were pushing the conflict towards a new, even deadlier phase.
Escalation of Drone Warfare
Drone attacks by both Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been at war since April 2023, have intensified across the country in recent months. The UN rights office stated that its Sudan team determined drone strikes accounted for at least 880 civilian deaths, representing more than 80 percent of all conflict-related civilian deaths between January and April this year.
UN rights chief Volker Turk emphasized in a statement that armed drones have become the leading cause of civilian deaths. He noted that the growing use of drones allows fighting to continue unabated during the rainy season, which in the past saw a lull in hostilities.
Risk of Further Expansion
Turk warned that an intensification of hostilities in the coming weeks risks expanding the conflict to central and eastern states, with lethal consequences for civilians across vast areas. He stressed that unless action is taken without delay, the conflict is on the cusp of entering yet another new, even deadlier phase.
More than three years of civil war in Sudan have already killed tens of thousands, displaced over 11 million, and thrust several areas into famine. Most civilian deaths from drone strikes in the first three months of the year were recorded in the Kordofan region and Darfur.
Recent Attacks and Targets
Strikes have continued, with drones hitting Al Quoz in South Kordofan and near El-Obeid in North Kordofan on May 8, reportedly killing 26 civilians and injuring others. The rights office said belligerents used drones to repeatedly strike civilian objects and infrastructure, diminishing access to sufficient food, clean water, and health care.
Markets have been repeatedly targeted, with at least 28 such attacks resulting in civilian casualties in the first four months of the year. Health facilities have been hit at least 12 times.
Geographic Spread
Drone strikes by the RSF and the Sudanese army are increasingly spreading beyond Kordofan and Darfur to Blue Nile, White Nile, and Khartoum. Turk warned that heightened violence would disrupt critical humanitarian assistance.
Much of the country, including Kordofan, now faces an increased risk of famine and acute food insecurity, exacerbated by fertiliser shortages linked to the Middle East war, he added.
