Sudan War: 270 Children Killed, Injured in Drone Strikes

Drone strikes have caused about two-thirds of all child casualties recorded in war-torn Sudan between January and September 2026, the United Nations Children’s Fund has said.

UNICEF said 410 children were killed or injured during the nine-month period, with about 270 of the casualties linked to armed drone attacks.

The agency’s spokesman, James Elder, disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking to reporters in Geneva.

He warned that drone attacks were extending the conflict to communities previously considered safe.

“They are bringing the war to places that were once safe,” he said, adding that people in Sudan were increasingly concerned about safety, education and access to water.

“Armed drones are taking all three,” he added.

The conflict, which began in April 2023, is being fought between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and Sudan’s regular army.

The war has killed more than 200,000 people, according to estimates by aid workers, and triggered the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises.

With front lines becoming more established, both sides have increasingly deployed drones capable of striking targets hundreds of kilometres away without exposing their fighters to direct combat.

The United Nations said more than 1,100 people were killed in drone attacks across Sudan during the first half of 2026.

Elder also warned that attacks on civilian infrastructure were worsening the effects of drought in the country.

“Drones and drought are closing in on Sudan’s children from both sides,” he said.

According to him, as many as 15 drone strikes hit power stations across Sudan in October alone.

He explained that attacks on power facilities disrupted water supply and treatment systems, forcing families to depend on expensive and unsafe alternatives.

“When a power station is struck, water pumps stop and water treatment stops. Families are forced onto expensive and unsafe alternatives,” he said.

Elder warned that the situation was increasing the risk of water-borne diseases, including cholera.

He also estimated that 825,000 children under the age of five could suffer from severe acute malnutrition in 2026.

UNICEF and its partners have provided healthcare services and vaccinations to millions of children in Sudan. They have also repaired water systems and installed solar power facilities to improve access to clean water.

However, Elder said the agency’s operations were under severe financial pressure, with only one-third of its required funding secured.

“But with so many crises at once, everything is stretched to breaking point,” he warned.