United Nations condemns a wave of drone strikes across Sudan as 20 million people face acute hunger

19 October 2026

The United Nations condemned a wave of drone strikes across Sudan that killed and injured dozens. UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the organisation is alarmed by continued deadly drone strikes that are killing civilians, including children, and disrupting essential services. On Monday alone, strikes injured at least 19 people in a busy market in Abyei and hit several locations in the capital Khartoum, including an area near the airport; one civilian was killed and some flights were cancelled. Over the weekend, drone attacks killed at least 19 people, including 10 children, across West Darfur, South Darfur and North Kordofan states. The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began in April 2023, and 20 million people now face acute hunger with a rising risk of famine in parts of Darfur and Greater Kordofan. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, urged external actors to stop fuelling the violence. Twenty-five Sudanese Red Crescent volunteers have been killed on duty since the conflict began, and Sudan's humanitarian response plan is just over 43 per cent funded.