UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has reported that drone strikes killed more than 1,000 civilians in Sudan during the first five months of 2026, citing a "sharp increase" in attacks targeting civilian infrastructure. Speaking before the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Türk said strikes have hit hospitals, schools, markets, and displacement camps across the country, which has been mired in civil war since April 2023.
Both Sudan's military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have deployed explosive-laden drones against civilian targets. The data reveals dramatic escalation — a 600% increase in drone-related deaths and an 81% rise in drone attacks compared to 2024. The conflict has claimed at least 59,000 lives over three years, with approximately 34 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
A recent strike killed at least 15 people at a cemetery and gas station in el-Obeid, underscoring the continued targeting of civilian gatherings. Human rights organizations have called for an immediate international investigation. The war erupted on April 15, 2023, when a power struggle between Sudan's military and the Rapid Support Forces broke into open fighting in the capital Khartoum.