Geneva, May 11 (Darfur24)
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said on Monday that at least 880 civilians were killed in drone strikes in Sudan between January and April 2026, warning that the conflict is entering a “new and more deadly phase.”
In a statement seen by Darfur24, Türk said findings from the UN Human Rights Office indicate that drone attacks accounted for more than 80 percent of all civilian conflict-related deaths recorded during the four months.
He condemned the increasing use of armed drones by the warring parties and warned of the growing impact on civilians across Sudan.
“Armed drones have now become, by far, the leading cause of civilian deaths. This must not be allowed to happen,” Türk said.
He added that the international community faces “a clear warning” that, unless urgent measures are taken, violence in Sudan is likely to escalate further in the coming weeks, causing new waves of displacement and disrupting the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Türk called for strict action to prevent the transfer of weapons, including advanced drones, to the parties involved in the conflict.
He stressed that continued attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure risk normalizing indiscriminate violence and deepening the humanitarian crisis.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, most of the deadly drone attacks occurred in the Kordofan region. Attacks on Al-Qouz locality in South Kordofan and areas near Al-Obeid in North Kordofan on May 8 reportedly killed at least 26 civilians and injured others.
The statement also noted that markets were repeatedly targeted, with at least 28 attacks on marketplaces causing civilian casualties during the past four months.
Health facilities were reportedly attacked 12 times during the same period, leading to the closure of some medical centers and depriving civilians of access to healthcare.
Türk said drone strikes also targeted fuel depots and supply routes, while the use of drones by both the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese army expanded beyond Darfur and Kordofan into Blue Nile, White Nile, and Khartoum states.
He warned that the widening use of drones threatens the relative calm that had recently prevailed in some areas and raises fears of renewed large-scale fighting in the capital, Khartoum.
The UN official further warned that any escalation in Kordofan could expose civilians in cities such as El-Obeid and Dilling to greater risks of retaliatory attacks, displacement, and siege-like conditions, amid continued drone strikes and artillery shelling.