United Nations officials say drone warfare is driving a sharp rise in civilian deaths in Sudan’s ongoing conflict. UN human rights reporting attributed at least 880 civilian deaths to drone strikes carried out between January and April 2026, with drones responsible for more than 80% of civilian deaths during that period. The UN warns this pattern is pushing the war into a “deadlier phase,” as the increasing use of drones risks further intensifying violence against non-combatants.
Reporting from multiple outlets cites that the drone-related civilian toll is linked to strikes by both sides in the conflict, including Sudan’s military and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Euronews reports that many of the deaths occurred in Kordofan and Darfur in the early months of the year, while other accounts note the impact is spreading beyond those regions.
While some analysis emphasizes how drone warfare has become a particularly lethal threat to civilians, the shared focus across sources remains the UN’s documentation of the scale of deaths and its warning that the situation is likely to worsen if drone strikes increase further.
