More than 1,000 civilians have been killed in drone strikes in Sudan during the first five months of 2026, the United Nations has said, warning of a sharp escalation in the country’s ongoing civil war.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the conflict has entered a new and more dangerous phase marked by the rapid expansion of drone warfare.
“In Sudan, the horrific conflict has expanded and escalated, marked by a sharp increase in the use of drone warfare,” he said while addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Drone warfare intensifies conflict
According to UN monitoring, the rise in drone strikes has significantly increased civilian casualties, with more than 1,000 deaths recorded in just the first five months of 2026.
The UN also reported widespread sexual violence, including rape, as the conflict continues to devastate civilian populations across multiple regions.
Experts say both sides in Sudan’s war have increasingly relied on drones for targeted strikes, marking a shift toward what observers describe as a “drone-dominated battlefield.”
War rooted in military rivalry
The conflict began in April 2023 between Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, following a power struggle that escalated into full-scale war.
Initially concentrated in Khartoum, the violence later spread across the country.
The United Nations describes Sudan as facing the world’s worst humanitarian and displacement crisis.
- Around 13.6 million people displaced
- Over 20 million in need of medical assistance
- More than 21 million facing acute food insecurity
Estimates of total deaths vary widely, with some monitoring groups placing the toll between 56,000 and 150,000 or higher.
