A recent report by the United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF, indicates that drones have significantly impacted child casualties in Sudan. Between January and September 2023, a total of 410 children were reported killed or injured due to the ongoing violence, with two-thirds of these casualties attributed to drone strikes.
UNICEF spokesman James Elder highlighted that approximately 270 children fell victim to armed drones, emphasizing the grave impact these strikes have on civilian safety. He remarked that drones are “bringing the war to places that were once safe,” disrupting fundamental needs such as safety, education, and access to clean water.
The conflict, which has been raging since April 2023 between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and Sudan’s regular army, has led to estimates of over 200,000 deaths and has triggered severe hunger and displacement crises within the nation. With entrenched front lines, both warring factions are increasingly using drones for strikes from considerable distances, minimizing the risk to their personnel.
The UN further reported over 1,100 deaths from drone attacks in the first half of 2023. Elder noted a concerning trend of drones targeting civilian infrastructure, compounding the challenges posed by a widespread drought. In just October, 15 drone strikes targeted power stations, disrupting essential services such as water supply and treatment.
These attacks have forced families to seek expensive and unsafe water alternatives, heightening the risk of water-borne diseases like cholera. UNICEF forecasts that around 825,000 children under five years of age are expected to face severe malnutrition this year.
Despite efforts from UNICEF and its partners to provide health care and repair water systems, Elder warned that the agency’s operations in Sudan remain critically underfunded, with only one-third of necessary resources secured to address the multiple crises afflicting the country.
