According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), armed drones are now, by far, the main cause of deaths among civilians.
A ramp-up in hostilities in the coming weeks, as belligerents seek to capture or consolidate control of territories amidst a shifting conflict dynamic, risks further extending hostilities to central and eastern states, with deadly consequences for civilians across vast areas.
“This growing use of drones allows hostilities to continue unabated as the rainy season approaches, which historically brought a lull in ground operations,” said High Commissioner Volker Türk in a statement.
Kordofan, epicenter of drone strikes
Most civilian deaths attributed to drone strikes in the first quarter of the year were recorded in the Kordofan region. The latest incident on May 8 saw drone strikes in South and North Kordofan result in 26 deaths and several injuries among civilians.
Overall, the parties to the conflict have used drones, targeting civilian property and infrastructure multiple times. Markets have been repeatedly targeted, with at least 28 such attacks causing civilian casualties.
Health facilities have not been spared, with at least 12 times more strikes in this four-month period. In some cases, this wave of drones led to hospital closures, forcing civilians to travel long distances for treatment or go without healthcare altogether.
Fuel depots and supply routes have also been repeatedly targeted in recent weeks.
Drone use spreading
The use of drones by paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) is expanding beyond Kordofan and Darfur to Blue Nile, White Nile, and Khartoum.
A drone strike on Khartoum International Airport on May 4 resulted in all flights being suspended, and between April 28 and May 5, several targeted drone attacks occurred in Khartoum and the twin city of Omdurman.
“The intensity of these attacks shattered the relative calm of recent months, as an increasing number of civilians were returning to the capital, sparking fears of renewed hostilities in Khartoum,” Mr. Türk stated.
According to OHCHR, a likely escalation of hostilities in Kordofan will also expose civilians to increased risks of retaliatory attacks and large-scale displacement, especially in the cities of El Obeid and Dilling in South Kordofan, controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and resembling a siege-like situation.
Risk of even deadlier phase
The escalation of violence would also disrupt the delivery of humanitarian aid. “Much of the country, including Kordofan, now faces an increased risk of famine and acute food insecurity, exacerbated by anticipated delays or shortages of fertilizers due to the Gulf crisis,” Mr. Türk added.
Faced with these deadly drone attacks, the UN’s human rights chief calls for robust measures to prevent the transfer of weapons, especially increasingly sophisticated armed drones. It serves as a reminder that drone attacks on civilians and civilian property will only worsen if left completely unpunished.
“As this violence becomes increasingly normalized as a favored tactic of both parties, if immediate action is not taken, this conflict is on the verge of entering a new, even deadlier phase,” Mr. Türk emphasized.
