UN Warns Drone Strikes Drive Sudan Into Deadlier Phase

The United Nations reports that armed drones have become the primary cause of civilian casualties in Sudan, accounting for more than 80 percent of all conflict-related civilian deaths between January and April 2026. Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that at least 880 civilians were killed by these strikes during that period. He warned that the conflict is on the cusp of a "new, even deadlier phase" because drones allow the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to maintain hostilities unabated during the rainy season, which typically brings a lull in ground operations.

While the Kordofan region has been the epicenter of the violence, including a May 8 attack that killed 26 civilians in South Kordofan and near El Obeid, drone activity is spreading to Khartoum, Blue Nile, and White Nile. On May 4, a strike disrupted flights at Khartoum International Airport, and on May 12, a drone attack in al-Daein killed six people and wounded five others. The UN noted that repeated strikes on markets, health facilities, and water sources are exacerbating famine risks and obstructing humanitarian aid.

Other violence continues alongside the drone campaign. On May 12, artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement North killed at least 10 civilians in Delling. Meanwhile, nearly 50,000 people have fled Blue Nile state since January, and the Rapid Support Forces are facing a wave of high-level defections from senior commanders.