UN expert decries escalating drone strikes, devastating civilian toll in Sudan
October 24, 2025 (GENEVA) – The United Nations’ designated expert on Sudan on Friday expressed alarm at a sharp escalation in drone strikes by both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), warning of the devastating consequences for civilians across the country.
Radhouane Nouicer, the UN Expert on the human rights situation in Sudan, highlighted recent RSF drone attacks on October 21 and 22 that targeted Khartoum International Airport just before its planned reopening. On October 21, RSF drones also struck dams and electricity infrastructure in Blue Nile and Sennar states, injuring six technical workers and causing widespread power outages.
“The intensifying use of drone strikes is putting civilian lives at additional risk, deepening the humanitarian crisis and further destabilizing the country,” Nouicer warned in a statement. “This escalation has the potential for far-reaching consequences beyond Sudan’s borders.”
The statement detailed a series of deadly attacks in recent weeks. In the besieged city of El Fasher, increased drone attacks by the RSF on a shelter for internally displaced persons on October 10 and 11 claimed the lives of at least 57 civilians.
Subsequently, on October 19 and 20, SAF drones struck multiple locations in North and West Darfur, killing at least 13 civilians and damaging homes, markets, and public buildings.
In the Kordofan region, intensified drone warfare by both factions has also led to significant civilian casualties. A SAF drone strike in El Mazroub, North Kordofan, killed at least 18 civilians on October 17, while five days earlier, an RSF drone strike in Dalami, South Kordofan, killed at least four civilians.
“The continued targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure violates international humanitarian law and contradicts express commitments to the protection of civilians,” Nouicer stressed.
The Expert called on both parties to cease attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, de-escalate the situation, and prioritize civilian protection, adding that “concrete measures are urgently needed to protect civilians and ensure accountability.”