The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Türk, has warned that intensifying violence in Sudan, particularly the growing use of armed drones, could push the conflict into an even deadlier phase with increased civilian casualties and displacement.
In a statement on Monday, Türk said the international community must act urgently, warning that the situation is rapidly deteriorating.
“The international community is on notice that, unless action is taken without delay, this conflict is on the cusp of entering yet another new, even deadlier phase,” he said.
According to data from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, drone strikes are now responsible for about 80% of conflict-related civilian deaths in Sudan, with at least 880 people killed between January and April this year.
Most of the deaths were recorded in the Kordofan region, where recent strikes in areas including Al Quz in South Kordofan and near El Obeid in North Kordofan reportedly killed at least 26 civilians on May 8.
The ongoing civil war, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has devastated large parts of the country, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan.
Volker Türk warned that both the SAF and RSF are increasingly deploying drones across multiple regions, including Blue Nile, White Nile, and Khartoum, expanding the geographic scale of the conflict.
He said the use of drones is enabling sustained fighting even during the rainy season, which previously slowed ground military operations.
Türk cautioned that escalating hostilities could trigger further displacement, particularly in SAF-controlled cities such as El Obeid and Dilling, while worsening already severe humanitarian conditions.
He also warned that parts of Sudan face heightened risks of famine and acute food insecurity, with aid delivery becoming increasingly difficult due to ongoing violence.
“The intensification of hostilities… risks hostilities expanding even further to central and eastern states, with lethal consequences for civilians across enormous areas,” he said.
The UN rights chief further called for urgent international measures to stop the flow of weapons, including advanced armed drones, to both sides of the conflict.
He stressed that unchecked arms transfers were contributing directly to civilian deaths and prolonging the war.
The Sudan conflict has already been marked by widespread allegations of ethnic violence, sexual assault, and mass displacement, making it one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
