UN Human Rights Council Extends Sudan Probe Amid Escalating Drone Warfare and Aid Attacks

The United Nations Human Rights Council has adopted a resolution extending the mandate of its independent fact-finding mission in Sudan for one year, following a 28-10 vote. The council condemned the intensifying use of drone strikes and aerial bombardments by both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which have killed over 1,100 civilians in the first five months of 2026 alone. This diplomatic action coincides with a deadly airstrike on a clearly marked World Food Programme convoy in South Kordofan, highlighting the deteriorating safety for humanitarian operations in a conflict that has displaced over 13 million people and left nearly 20 million facing severe food insecurity.

// Background

The war in Sudan began on April 15, 2023, as a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has triggered one of the world's largest displacement crises, with over 11 million people internally displaced and millions more fleeing to neighboring countries. International efforts, including the Jeddah Declaration, have so far failed to secure a lasting truce.

// Key Developments

• UNHRC resolution passed with 28 votes in favor, 10 against, and 9 abstentions to extend the Fact-Finding Mission.
• A World Food Programme driver was killed in an airstrike on a marked food convoy traveling between Dilling and Kadugli.
• UN investigators reported that the RSF siege and capture of El-Fasher bore the 'hallmarks of genocide'.
• Drone strikes killed more than 1,100 people in the first five months of 2026.
• The resolution demands an immediate, unconditional ceasefire and the restoration of critical infrastructure like schools and hospitals.
• Approximately 41% of Sudan's population (19.5 million people) is facing severe acute food insecurity.