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The UN condemned a wave of drone attacks that killed and injured dozens of people in Sudan on Monday. According to an UN News report dated October 19, 2026, the attacks occurred amid a prolonged war that continues to drive displacement and hunger. Children were among the victims, while several essential services were also disrupted.
Attacks spread across several regions
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the UN was concerned about the continuing deadly drone attacks across various parts of Sudan. The attacks have killed civilians, including children, and disrupted services needed by local communities.
On Monday, a drone attack injured at least 19 people at a crowded market in Abyei. Several locations in Khartoum, including an area near the airport, were also targeted. One civilian was reportedly killed, and several flights were canceled following the attacks.
Over the previous weekend, drone attacks reportedly killed at least 19 people, including 10 children, and injured several others. The incidents occurred in West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Kordofan states. Dujarric said the UN unequivocally condemned all of the attacks.
War and the threat of famine
The use of armed drones has increased in the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Fighting between the two sides erupted in April 2023. They had previously been allies who jointly seized power in a 2021 coup.
The latest escalation comes as around 20 million people face acute hunger. The risk of famine is also increasing in parts of Darfur and Greater Kordofan. The situation shows how armed violence is unfolding alongside a worsening food crisis and continued displacement.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo urged external parties to stop fueling the violence and the use of drones. In a briefing to the Security Council the previous Friday, she again called on the warring parties to return to the negotiating table.
Humanitarian workers also among the victims
The UN also highlighted attacks on aid workers. Since the conflict began, 25 Sudanese Red Crescent volunteers have reportedly been killed while carrying out their duties. The previous week, a volunteer was killed while providing first aid at a health center in Um Darfa, Blue Nile State, after the facility was struck in a drone attack.
Dujarric described attacks on people risking their lives to help communities during a humanitarian crisis as particularly heinous. He stressed that civilians and civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities and personnel, must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Aid continues amid limited resources
The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to deliver assistance in locations they can reach. In Central Darfur State, UN partners recently rehabilitated a water facility in Zalingei. The restoration has renewed access to safe water for around 2,500 people.
More than 2,000 families have also received water, sanitation, and hygiene support. However, Dujarric said additional funding was needed to sustain these life-saving operations. Sudan's humanitarian response plan has received just over 43 percent of the required funding.
