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Drone strikes have killed over 1,000 civilians in Sudan in 5 months
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Drone strikes have killed over 1,000 civilians in Sudan during the first five months of 2026, marking a sharp increase in the use of drones in the ongoing conflict, according to U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
- The Sudan war, which began in April 2023 due to a power struggle between the military and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has resulted in at least 59,000 deaths over three years, with drone-related deaths and attacks rising significantly in 2025.
- Both warring parties have increasingly used explosive-laden drones to target civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, and markets, making drone strikes the deadliest threat to civilians in the conflict.
- The conflict has triggered the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with about 34 million Sudanese—nearly two-thirds of the population—requiring assistance amid widespread atrocities including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings.
- International officials, including the U.K. Minister for Africa and International Development, have condemned the drone attacks on civilians and emphasized the need to document abuses to break the cycle of impunity.
