More than 1,000 civilians have been killed in drone strikes in Sudan during the first five months of 2026, a senior United Nations official reported Monday, highlighting a marked escalation in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in the country’s ongoing conflict.

Volker Türk, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that his office has documented a significant rise in drone attacks alongside increased incidents of rape and sexual violence amid the war, which is now entering its fourth year. Between January and May of this year, U.N. monitors recorded over 1,000 civilian deaths attributed directly to drone strikes.

The conflict in Sudan began on April 15, 2023, when tensions between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted into open warfare in the capital city of Khartoum and other regions. Since then, the fighting has resulted in substantial casualties; conflict monitoring group the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) reports a death toll of at least 59,000 people over the course of the three years. ACLED notes that the actual number of fatalities may be considerably higher due to challenges in verifying information from conflict zones.

The use of drones marks a troubling development in the Sudanese war, as both sides increasingly employ unmanned aerial vehicles to target opponents, which has had deadly consequences for civilians. The escalation of drone strikes intensifies concerns about the war’s humanitarian impact, particularly as reports of sexual violence continue to surface alongside the fatal attacks.

The Sudan conflict has displaced millions and severely strained the country’s fragile infrastructure, complicating efforts to deliver humanitarian aid. Despite international calls for ceasefires and peace negotiations, the fighting remains unabated, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence.

The U.N. and other international actors have urged all parties to respect international humanitarian law and to take immediate steps to protect civilian populations amidst the growing threat posed by advanced military technologies such as drones.