In the war-ravaged landscapes of Sudan, the relentless hum of drones has become an all-too-familiar sound—one that now signals not only military strikes, but also the endangerment of humanitarian missions desperately trying to reach civilians trapped by violence and hunger. Over the past year, Sudan’s civil war has spiraled into a humanitarian catastrophe, with the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) locked in a brutal struggle that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced millions, and left aid workers in the crosshairs.
On August 21, 2025, the Sudanese National Human Rights Observatory sounded the alarm: drones operated by the Sudanese army had struck a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy, damaging trucks filled with food supplies destined for those most in need. The attack, which local sources say may have injured relief workers, took place just a day after World Humanitarian Day—a bitter irony not lost on those on the ground. The Observatory declared, “Repeated targeting of civilians and aid convoys undermines the foundations of international humanitarian law and threatens prospects for peace and stability.” Video footage released by the group showed food trucks engulfed in smoke, a grim testament to the dangers facing those who dare to deliver help.
In response, the WFP issued a stark warning: “Sudan has shifted from being Africa’s breadbasket to the world’s largest hunger crisis. More than 300,000 people remain cut off, with families starving. WFP has enough food for thousands, but we urgently need safe and unimpeded access.” According to the United Nations, the situation in Sudan now represents “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.”
Yet, the Sudanese army has flatly denied responsibility for the airstrike, insisting the RSF fabricated the claims to cover up its own involvement. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the army asserted, “The government, which opened humanitarian aid corridors, including the Adré crossing with Chad, cannot under any circumstances target convoys carrying aid destined for our people.” Instead, it accused the RSF of “continuous violations” and of turning camps for displaced people into training grounds, allegedly with the help of foreign mercenaries. The RSF, meanwhile, maintains it was the army’s drones that hit the convoy in the town of Mellit, about 65 kilometers north of El Fasher.
This is not the first time humanitarian convoys have been attacked. On August 17, 2025, a drone strike targeted the town of Millet in East Darfur, wounding two civilians and sparking panic among residents, according to eyewitness accounts and the Darfur Victims Support Organization. In June, five aid workers were killed and others wounded when a joint UNICEF and WFP convoy heading to El Fasher came under fire. Several organizations pointed fingers at the army, accusing it of being behind the attack.
The escalation of drone warfare has raised serious concerns among analysts and human rights groups. As reported by Darfur 24 and other outlets, the army’s increasing reliance on drones—many supplied by foreign allies—has contributed to a pattern of indiscriminate aerial bombardments. Human Rights Watch documented in February 2025 that the army dropped unguided bombs on residential and commercial neighborhoods in Nyala, South Darfur, causing numerous civilian casualties. In March, the rights group Emergency Lawyers accused the army of war crimes after a bombing killed and wounded hundreds at a crowded market in North Darfur.
The sources of these deadly drones are as varied as they are troubling. According to The Washington Post and other reports, the Sudanese army has secretly acquired drones from Iran, with at least seven flights between Iran and Sudan documented from December 2023 to July 2024. Four of these flights are believed to have been military in nature, returning to an Iranian air base in Tehran. The American magazine The National Interest warned that Sudan’s deepening alliance with Tehran could entrench Iranian influence in Africa and threaten the crucial Red Sea trade corridor.
But Iran is not Sudan’s only supplier. In March, The Washington Post reported a $120 million deal between Sudan and Turkish defense firm Baykar, which included the delivery of Bayraktar TB2 and Akıncı drones, as well as expert trainers. In July 2025, the RSF claimed to have shot down a Turkish “Akanji” drone used by the army to bomb areas including Zamzam, Al-Kuma, and Millet—attacks that reportedly targeted hospitals, schools, and displaced persons’ camps.
The most recent—and perhaps most significant—arms deal comes from Pakistan. As detailed by the Sudanese newspaper Al-Taghyeer and the Asia Defense Security platform, Sudan’s army finalized a $1.5 billion defense contract with Islamabad. The package includes 10 K-8 Karakorum light attack jets, 220 drones of various models (including the Shahpar-2, Yiha-III, MR-10K, and Ababeel-5), MiG-21 fighter engines, 150 armored vehicles, and advanced air defense systems. Given Sudan’s economic collapse—the pound has lost over 90% of its value—analysts are left questioning how the government can afford such a purchase. Some speculate the transaction may be routed through a third country.
This influx of advanced weaponry has only intensified the conflict. Since April 2023, the war between the army and the RSF has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced 14 million, according to the UN and local authorities. Some US university researchers put the death toll at a staggering 130,000. The RSF currently controls large swathes of North and West Kordofan, pockets in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, and four of Darfur’s five states. The army, for its part, has regained ground in Khartoum and White Nile states in recent weeks.
Amid these shifting battle lines, Sudan’s top military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, remains defiant. Rejecting negotiations with the RSF and civilian groups, he declared earlier this month, “the war will continue,” dismissing all calls for dialogue and peace. Since seizing power in the October 2021 coup, the military has resisted international mediation, even as accusations of atrocities mount. In January, South Sudan’s government appealed to the African Union and United Nations to investigate violations against its citizens, after reports of reprisals and killings in Gezira State.
The conflict’s complexity is deepened by the involvement of Islamist brigades and ethnically-based militias, some of whom have fought alongside the army under the “joint forces” umbrella in Kordofan and Darfur. General Burhan’s recent move to absorb these militias into the army’s command structure has sparked fears of further fragmentation and violence, with key factions rejecting the decision.
As drone warfare escalates and humanitarian corridors become killing fields, the prospects for peace in Sudan seem ever more remote. The international community faces a stark choice: step up efforts to protect aid workers and civilians, or risk watching the world’s worst humanitarian crisis spiral even further out of control.
For now, the people of Sudan wait—hungry, frightened, and caught between warring factions who show little sign of relenting. The skies above may be crowded with drones, but hope, it seems, is in short supply.