UN Rights Chief Volker Türk Says Drone Strikes Killed Over 1,000 Civilians in Sudan

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned in Geneva that drone warfare in Sudan has sharply escalated, saying his office documented more than 1,000 civilians killed in drone strikes between January and May 2026.

“Nearly 700 civilians are believed to have been killed in Sudan since January in drone strikes, the United Nations said on Tuesday, on the eve of the conflict's third anniversary”

Africanews

Türk told the Human Rights Council that “In Sudan, the horrific conflict has expanded and escalated, marked by a sharp increase in the use of drone warfare,” as the war continues into its fourth year.

Africanews

The conflict began in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces exploded into open fighting in Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan.

The UN rights chief linked the drone escalation to broader civilian harm, saying his office has also documented “rape and sexual violence” in the Sudan war.

The UN estimates that about 34 million people—nearly two-thirds of Sudan’s population—now require humanitarian assistance, as the fighting has devastated urban centres and disrupted access to food, healthcare and basic services.

Türk used the Human Rights Council to call for urgent international regulation of autonomous weapons systems such as drones, warning that “This reality is now upon us.”

In Sudan, Türk said more than 1,000 civilians had been killed by indiscriminate drone strikes “this year alone,” and he argued that “Autonomous weapons cannot become a license for atrocity crimes.”

Al Jazeera

The DW report also quoted the United Kingdom’s Minister for Africa and International Development, Jenny Chapman, saying, “This is deplorable and must stop,” and adding that it was vital to “document abuses and preserve evidence – essential steps to breaking the cycle of impunity.”

Türk described the increased use of unmanned systems as “creating a new circle of hell” for non-combatants in warzones, and he warned that the risk could be exacerbated by advances in artificial intelligence.

The UN rights chief said states needed to update legal frameworks to “require human control and ensure accountability,” and he called for a common approach that protects civilian lives and recommits to diplomacy and mediation.

UN officials warned that the drone-driven escalation is worsening civilian suffering and could push Sudan into “a new, more deadly phase,” unless urgent steps are taken to contain the violence.

“The United Nations says the use of drones makes the conflict more dangerous”

Al-Bayader

A statement cited by Reuters through بوابة الشروق said drone attacks account for around 80% of civilian deaths related to the conflict, with at least 880 people killed between January and April of this year.

The same statement said the commission documented the killing of 26 civilians by drone strikes targeting the Al-Qoz area in southern Kordofan and areas near Al-Ubayyid in northern Kordofan on May 8.

UN humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher said nearly 700 civilians have been killed by drone strikes since January, and he warned that the humanitarian response is “cruelly underfunded.”

Fletcher said the goal this year was to assist 20 million people in Sudan, while Denise Brown said the UN’s appeal for $2.9 billion to fund Sudan this year is only 16% funded, as donors were due to meet in Berlin for an international conference.