UN rights council condemns Sudan drone strikes, extends fact-finding mission a year

Mixed · 2On Monday 5 October 2026 the 47-member UN Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted a resolution condemning indiscriminate drone strikes and attacks on civilians in Sudan. 1 2 Right · 1The resolution passed by 28 votes to 10 with nine abstentions and extends the mandate of the independent international fact-finding mission for Sudan by a further year. 1 Right · 1Brazil, Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and South Africa voted in favour; China, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Pakistan and Qatar voted against; Ethiopia, India and Thailand were among the abstainers (AFP, carried by Arab News). 1

Mixed · 2Sudan said the council had not taken its reservations into account and urged all states to vote against the resolution. 1 2 Mixed · 2The text says there is "no military solution to the crisis" and calls for an immediate and complete ceasefire by all parties without preconditions, an independent ceasefire monitoring mechanism, restoration of critical infrastructure and a negotiated, peaceful resolution. 1 2 Mixed · 2It condemns violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses by all sides, citing indiscriminate attacks on civilians and aerial bombardments and drone strikes that killed civilians and destroyed infrastructure including schools and hospitals. 1 2

Mixed · 2The council also condemned outside interference: Arab News (AFP) says it slammed outside forces fuelling the conflict with weapons and mercenaries, and Al Jazeera adds that it named illicit financial networks, illegal arms transfers and foreign mercenaries. 1 2 Mixed · 2The war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023, has displaced more than 13 million people. Both sides have increased their use of drones, and UN figures show drone strikes killed more than 1,100 people in the first five months of the year. 2 1 Mixed · 2The death toll is given differently: AFP says aid workers estimate more than 200,000 deaths, while Al Jazeera says tens of thousands, citing human rights groups' estimates. 1 2

Mixed · 2The fact-finding mission concluded in February that the RSF's siege and capture of El-Fasher bore "the hallmarks of genocide"; Al Jazeera adds that investigators documented mass summary executions, ethnic killings aimed mainly at non-Arab groups, widespread sexual violence and destruction of medical facilities. 1 2 Left · 1Al Jazeera also reports that the World Food Programme said an air attack hit its convoy travelling between Dilling and Kadugli on Saturday, killing a driver and damaging food supplies. The WFP said the vehicles were clearly marked, that it came 24 hours after another WFP vehicle detonated an explosive device in Dilling, and it demanded a transparent probe. 2