Hundreds Killed as Drone Strikes Escalate Across Sudan

Sudan, April 7, 2026 - Intensifying drone warfare by Sudan’s warring parties has resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths and widespread destruction of critical infrastructure in the first quarter of 2026, according to conflict monitoring data and humanitarian sources.

Analysis from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project and local emergency response networks indicates a sharp rise in the use of suicide and loitering munitions since the start of the year, turning several cities across Darfur and Kordofan into active combat zones.

Estimates compiled from local and international reporting suggest that between 480 and 500 civilians have been killed in direct drone strikes on civilian targets since January, with more than 1,200 others injured.

The United Nations reported in late March that a drone strike on the Ed Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur killed more than 70 people, including patients, children, women, and medical personnel. The UN further estimated that over 500 civilians have been killed in similar strikes nationwide since the beginning of the year.

Medical staff at the Ed Daein facility described narrowly surviving the attack, which occurred during the first day of Eid, when multiple missiles struck the hospital in quick succession, causing panic and heavy casualties among patients and staff.

East Darfur has recorded the highest number of drone strikes, with local authorities reporting more than 250 raids in the past six months. South and West Darfur have also been heavily affected, with strikes hitting hospitals, religious sites, and marketplaces.

In North Kordofan, the city of El Obeid has been repeatedly targeted in attacks attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). In South Kordofan, the cities of Dilling and Kadugli have also experienced sustained aerial bombardment.

Elsewhere, reciprocal strikes have expanded the geographic scope of the conflict. The RSF has carried out attacks in White Nile, Al Jazirah, River Nile, and Red Sea states, while government forces have targeted RSF positions in Blue Nile, Darfur, and Kordofan regions.

At least 18 health and essential service facilities were hit by drone strikes during the first quarter of the year, forcing four major hospitals out of operation. The World Health Organization documented at least five attacks on medical facilities within the first 50 days of 2026, resulting in 69 deaths.

In West Kordofan, drone strikes on residential areas in Lagawa killed five civilians and injured 15 others, triggering new waves of displacement as residents fled intensified bombardments.