UN Warns Sudan Conflict Entering 'Deadlier Phase' as Drone Warfare Drives Surge in Civilian Deaths

United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has issued a stark warning that Sudan’s devastating civil war is entering a far more lethal phase as the increasing use of armed drones by warring factions causes soaring civilian casualties, expands the battlefield into new regions, and threatens to deepen one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Türk strongly condemned the escalating deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles by both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), describing the attacks as a rapidly normalising tactic that is devastating civilian communities and critical infrastructure across the country.

“Armed drones have now become by far and away the leading cause of civilian deaths,” Türk said.

According to findings from the UN Human Rights Office’s Sudan team, drone strikes accounted for at least 880 civilian deaths between January and April 2026 — representing more than 80 percent of all conflict-related civilian fatalities recorded during that period.

The warning comes as Sudan’s two-year conflict continues to spiral into wider regional instability, mass displacement, famine risk, and near-total collapse of public services across large parts of the country.

Drone Warfare Changing the Nature of Sudan’s Conflict

The increasing reliance on armed drones is dramatically altering the dynamics of the Sudan war, allowing both sides to sustain attacks over vast distances while reducing dependence on conventional frontline combat.

Historically, Sudan’s rainy season has slowed military operations due to flooding, impassable roads, and logistical challenges. However, the growing use of drones means hostilities can now continue largely uninterrupted despite seasonal conditions.

“This increasing reliance on drones allows hostilities to continue unabated during the approaching rainy season, which in the past brought relative lulls in fighting,” Türk warned.

The UN fears the coming weeks could see a major escalation as both sides attempt to consolidate territorial control amid shifting military dynamics.

The High Commissioner cautioned that violence may spread further into central and eastern Sudan, including areas that have so far experienced comparatively lower levels of conflict.

“The international community is on notice that unless urgent action is taken, this conflict is on the cusp of entering another new and even deadlier phase,” Türk said.

Civilians Bearing the Brunt of Intensified Air Attacks

The Kordofan region has emerged as one of the hardest-hit areas during the latest escalation, accounting for a large proportion of civilian deaths linked to drone strikes.

On 8 May alone, drone attacks on Al Quz in South Kordofan and areas near El Obeid in North Kordofan reportedly killed at least 26 civilians and injured many others.

The United Nations says both the RSF and SAF have repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure, including markets, hospitals, fuel depots, and transportation routes, severely worsening living conditions for already vulnerable populations.

Markets have become frequent targets, with at least 28 market attacks causing civilian casualties between January and April.

Healthcare infrastructure has also come under sustained assault. UN officials recorded at least 12 attacks on health facilities during the four-month period, with several hospitals and clinics forced to close or operate at minimal capacity.

These attacks have left many civilians without access to emergency treatment, medicine, or maternal healthcare, particularly in isolated or conflict-affected regions.

“Persistent attacks against healthcare facilities have left many hospitals and clinics low- or non-functional,” Türk said.

The destruction of fuel storage facilities and transport corridors has further disrupted humanitarian operations, food distribution, and access to clean water.

Violence Expands Beyond Traditional Frontlines

Initially concentrated in Darfur and Kordofan, drone warfare is now spreading into other regions including Blue Nile, White Nile, Khartoum, and Omdurman.

A drone strike on Khartoum International Airport on 4 May disrupted all flights and heightened fears that major fighting could once again engulf the Sudanese capital after months of relative calm.

Between 28 April and 5 May, multiple drone attacks struck areas across Khartoum and neighbouring Omdurman, shattering hopes that civilians returning to the capital could safely rebuild their lives.

“The intensity of these attacks has shattered the relative calm that prevailed in recent months,” Türk said.

The renewed violence has triggered fresh panic among displaced families and residents who had only recently begun returning to Khartoum following earlier battles.

Humanitarian Catastrophe Deepening

The United Nations warns that escalating violence is rapidly worsening Sudan’s already catastrophic humanitarian emergency.

Large areas of the country are now facing heightened famine risk and acute food insecurity, particularly in conflict-hit regions where agricultural production, aid access, and supply chains have collapsed.

The crisis is expected to intensify further due to disruptions in global fertiliser supplies linked to instability in the Gulf region, potentially reducing agricultural output even more.

“Much of the country is now facing an increased risk of famine and acute food insecurity,” Türk warned.

Millions of Sudanese civilians remain internally displaced or trapped in areas with limited access to food, healthcare, clean water, and humanitarian assistance.

The likely intensification of fighting in Kordofan is also expected to increase retaliatory attacks, forced displacement, and civilian casualties, especially in SAF-controlled cities such as El Obeid and Dilling, which are already experiencing siege-like conditions.

Calls for Arms Restrictions and Civilian Protection

Türk called on the international community to urgently implement stronger measures preventing the transfer of weapons and advanced drone technologies to the warring parties.

He warned that continued impunity for attacks on civilians risks normalising drone warfare as a standard tactic in modern conflicts.

“Drone attacks against civilians and civilian objects will only worsen if they are met with utter impunity,” he said.

The UN Human Rights Chief also renewed calls for all parties to comply with international humanitarian law and ensure civilian protection.

“I call once again on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians, including safe movement from areas of active hostilities,” Türk said.

He stressed that civilians fleeing conflict zones must be protected from reprisals, summary executions, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and abductions.

The United Nations and humanitarian agencies continue to warn that Sudan’s conflict — already one of the world’s largest displacement crises — risks destabilising the broader region if violence continues escalating unchecked.

International mediators have repeatedly attempted ceasefire negotiations, but fighting between the SAF and RSF has persisted with little sign of a lasting political resolution.

As drone warfare expands and civilian infrastructure continues to collapse, humanitarian organisations fear Sudan may soon face an even more devastating phase of conflict and mass suffering.