At least 880 civilians were killed in drone strikes in Sudan between January and April 2026, the UN human rights office said on May 11. That is more than 80 per cent of all civilian deaths in the war during those four months. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk raised the alarm.
“I am deeply worried by increased drone attacks in Sudan, which have killed at least 880 civilians already this year,” Türk wrote on social media. “I urge immediate and robust measures to prevent the transfer of arms to the fighting parties.”
Both sides, not one
The UN reported that both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces have hit civilian infrastructure, among it markets, hospitals, fuel depots and supply routes. At least 28 attacks on markets caused civilian casualties, and health facilities were struck at least 12 times.
Most of the drone deaths early in the year were recorded in Kordofan. On May 8, strikes on Al-Quz in South Kordofan and near El-Obeid in North Kordofan reportedly killed 26 civilians and injured others. The attacks have since spread to Blue Nile, White Nile and Khartoum as well as Darfur.
Rainy season no relief
Türk warned that growing reliance on drones by both sides could drag hostilities through the rainy season. Historically that period has slowed ground combat. He pressed for international steps to stop weapons, advanced drones in particular, from reaching either party.
The fighting also threatens aid work. Large parts of Sudan face rising risks of famine and acute food insecurity, Türk said, and repeated attacks on health facilities have left many hospitals partly or wholly out of action. UNICEF’s Sudan representative said the new drone attacks pose an exponential threat to children and are hindering the agency’s ability to deliver services.
The World Health Organization counted about 217 attacks on healthcare facilities in Sudan since April 2023. They have killed 2,052 medical personnel and injured 810 others after three years of war. WHO said last month that Sudan faces the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis, with nearly 34 million people in need of assistance, 21 million of them requiring urgent health support.
Meanwhile the fighting kept going. The RSF said it shot down a military drone over Nyala, in South Darfur, as the city came under bombardment for a fourth day in a row. Independent sources there said senior RSF leaders survived a drone strike on a house in the city.
Sources
- Armed Drones Leading Cause of Civilian Deaths in Sudan War
- Shafaq News..UN: Drones kill 880+ civilians in Sudan since January
