The use of drones in Sudan’s ongoing conflict has escalated significantly, becoming the predominant cause of civilian casualties, according to the United Nations’ human rights office. The UN’s human rights chief, Volker Türk, emphasized the urgent need for international intervention, warning that the conflict is poised to enter a more lethal phase without immediate action.
Recent reports from the UN Human Rights Office have revealed that drone strikes accounted for over 80% of civilian deaths from January to April 2026, totaling at least 880 fatalities. Attacks such as those recently reported in Al Quz, South Kordofan, and near El Obeid, North Kordofan, have resulted in heavy civilian tolls. Türk noted that the violence has disrupted the fragile stability that had allowed civilians to return to previously war-torn areas like Khartoum.
Beyond the loss of life, drone strikes have targeted infrastructure critical to civilian welfare, including healthcare facilities and the Khartoum International Airport, severely affecting operations and accessibility. These attacks have been attributed to foreign involvement, with the Sudanese government accusing Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of facilitating drone strikes. Brigadier General Asim Awad Abdelwahab of the Sudanese military claims intelligence traced four recent drone attacks back to Ethiopia’s Bahir Dar, allegedly utilizing drones supplied by the UAE.
The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in April 2023 and has become one of the world’s dire humanitarian crises. Allegations against the RSF include genocide and war crimes, further complicating the conflict’s resolution. The situation has put the UAE in a contentious position, as accusations of supporting the RSF add layers to the geopolitical entanglements exacerbating the conflict.
The humanitarian implications are severe, with drone strikes threatening to extend hostilities into central and eastern regions of Sudan, potentially affecting vast numbers of civilians and widening the conflict’s scope. For more on these developments, see the UN’s formal statements and ongoing reports on regional dynamics. Further details can be found here.