The United Nations Human Rights Chief has delivered a grave assessment of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan’s Kordofan region, revealing that drone attacks have resulted in massive civilian casualties over a two-week period. According to documentation compiled by the UN Human Rights Office, approximately 90 non-combatants lost their lives while 142 sustained injuries in targeted aerial assaults between mid-January and February 6, 2026.
Volker Turk, addressing the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, presented evidence indicating that both government forces and paramilitary units share responsibility for the deadly strikes. The systematic aerial bombardments have struck critical civilian infrastructure including a World Food Programme humanitarian convoy, local marketplaces, medical facilities, and residential neighborhoods across both North and South Kordofan.
The escalating violence represents a dangerous intensification of Sudan’s ongoing conflict, with drone warfare now being deployed against civilian populations. The attacks on humanitarian convoys and medical facilities constitute severe violations of international humanitarian law and have crippled aid delivery mechanisms in the region.
This development occurs alongside other significant displacement crises, with UN reports indicating over 10,000 people forcibly displaced within just three days elsewhere in Sudan. The systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure suggests a strategic shift in combat operations that places non-combatants at unprecedented risk.