More than 1,000 civilians have been killed by drone strikes in Sudan in the first five months of 2026, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. Speaking at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, Türk reported a “sharp increase” in drone attacks as the country’s civil war intensifies.
The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has now killed at least 59,000 people over three years, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The US-based monitoring group warns that the true death toll is likely higher due to reporting difficulties.
Türk stated that his office documented the killing of over 1,000 civilians between January and May 2026, highlighting the growing use of drone warfare in the conflict. The war has also created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with the UN estimating that 34 million people—nearly two-thirds of Sudan’s population—require assistance.
