UN condemns drone strikes killing civilians and damaging critical infrastructure in Sudan

UN condemns drone strikes killing civilians and damaging critical infrastructure in Sudan

The UN warns that relentless drone attacks are killing civilians and damaging critical infrastructure as Sudan’s conflict enters its fourth year.

The United Nations has strongly condemned a wave of drone strikes across Sudan that have killed civilians, damaged homes and targeted critical infrastructure, warning that the attacks are worsening the suffering of communities already battered by more than three years of conflict.

"We also strongly condemn the reported killing of dozens of civilians in a drone strike on a market in the locality of Al Dibab, West Kordofan State, on Sunday," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the UN Secretary-General.

"This attack is part of a deeply concerning pattern. We remain alarmed by the relentless drone strikes across the country, as well as the damage they are causing to critical infrastructure. These attacks are taking a devastating toll on communities already struggling with the consequences of more than three years of conflict," said the spokesman.

In Khartoum, three children aged between two and six and their father were reportedly killed on Monday when a drone struck a residential area.

In South Darfur State, another drone strike reportedly hit a residential house in the state capital, Nyala, on Monday, causing civilian casualties and damaging neighbouring homes.

On Tuesday, drones reportedly damaged the main power station in the town of Tendalti in White Nile State, Dujarric said.

Latest Stories

• AU marks 40 years of African Charter on Human Rights with renewed commitment
• ‘We want to go home’: Congolese refugees face desperate conditions in Burundi camp
• Study finds fruit intake may ease teen mental health risks
• Book review: Inside Achieng’ Oneko's new book exploring land injustice, tribal politics and Kenya’s broken promises

"We reiterate that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law. All parties must take constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects during military operations," said the spokesman.

Dujarric also said the UN condemned a series of drone strikes across the southern border into the disputed Abyei region between Sudan and South Sudan. The attacks killed at least 28 civilians at Amiet Market and Todach on Monday, while many others were injured or remained unaccounted for.

Meanwhile, the UN secretary-general's personal envoy, Pekka Haavisto, is in Geneva to attend the Sixth Consultative Meeting on Enhancing Coordination of Peace Initiatives and Efforts in Sudan.

The meeting aims to establish a shared understanding of recent developments and coordinate efforts to find a solution to Sudan's civil war, which has lasted more than three years.

Neither the Sudanese government nor the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would be represented at the Geneva meeting, Dujarric added. He explained that the platform and mechanism were established to enable mediators to coordinate their efforts.