Drones Are Now Sudan's Deadliest Weapon Against Civilians

Unmanned drones killed at least 880 Sudanese civilians between January and April 2026—over 80 percent of all civilian deaths that period, according to UN research. Both major forces deploy drones to strike across vast distances without holding territory. The problem: drones cannot tell fighters from civilians in crowded areas. A February strike on a displaced persons shelter in West Kordofan killed 26 people alone.