UN Urges Immediate Halt to Sudan Drone Attacks Amidst Rising Civilian Fatalities

The United Nations on Friday issued an urgent appeal for an immediate cessation of drone attacks in Sudan's ongoing civil war, highlighting the escalating use of these weapons as the primary cause of civilian deaths this year. Recent weeks have seen a surge in fighting across the strategically vital Kordofan region, a key link between eastern and western Sudan, as the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) vie for territorial control. The conflict, now in its third year, has resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities and displaced millions.

Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN undersecretary general for political and peacebuilding affairs, informed the Security Council that a mutual prohibition on drone usage could significantly enhance civilian protection. She stated, "At a minimum, they [the warring parties] should agree on concrete commitments and operational arrangements to strictly regulate their drone use." UN data indicates that over 1,100 individuals perished in drone strikes across Sudan during the first half of the current year.

Ms. DiCarlo also denounced a drone strike on October 3 that impacted two World Food Programme contracted lorries, resulting in the death of a driver. She emphasized that the lorries were clearly marked and possessed the necessary travel permits. Furthermore, she expressed concern over the warring parties' apparent lack of inclination towards negotiating an end to the conflict, noting, "They are not moving closer to dialogue. On the contrary, they seem to believe that they can make greater gains on the battlefield and that continued external support will allow them to pursue their objectives by force."

These remarks follow an airstrike in a town under RSF control in North Kordofan on Thursday, which, according to the rights group Emergency Lawyers, killed five children and was attributed to the army. Meanwhile, Sudan's army chief and de facto leader, Gen. Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, reportedly assured US President Donald Trump of his commitment to peace, despite prolonged negotiation stalemates.

Britain's deputy UN ambassador, Kate Foster, advocated for more stringent sanctions against entities supplying weapons and financing Sudan's warring factions, stating, "The external support sustaining this conflict needs to end. The advancing drone capabilities we are witnessing are procured, financed, transferred and sustained through networks outside of Sudan." She also called for modifications to the Security Council's sanctions framework, asserting, "The Security Council Sudan sanctions regime needs to evolve to reflect how this war is being fought today." Britain, she added, supports enhanced sanctions to intensify pressure on those involved in supplying, financing, and enabling the war.

US deputy ambassador to the UN, Jeff Bartos, urged for an immediate humanitarian truce and an expansion of the Security Council's arms embargo, warning that ongoing weapon supplies are exacerbating the conflict and hindering peace initiatives. "We need a humanitarian truce. Let me repeat that: we need a humanitarian truce," Mr. Bartos declared. He stressed that a ceasefire is crucial for facilitating inclusive political dialogue and a transition to a civilian-led government. He cited a recent strike on a displacement shelter in Blue Nile state, reportedly carried out by the RSF, which killed over 30 displaced individuals, as an example of continued civilian casualties from drone attacks and airstrikes.

"An expanded arms embargo will raise the cost of continued conflict and impede the ability of external actors to provide military support to the warring parties," Mr. Bartos concluded. "The United States will continue to push to expand the sanctions regime to better reflect the realities of a conflict that now spans the entire country."