The High Commissioner has expressed deep concern over the escalating use of powerful drones and explosive weapons in populated areas during the civil conflict in Sudan. “It is deeply troubling that despite multiple reminders, warnings and appeals, parties to the conflict continue to use increasingly powerful drones to deploy explosive weapons with wide-area impacts in populated areas,” he stated. He reiterated calls for adherence to international law, emphasizing the prohibition of attacks on civilians and indiscriminate assaults. In West Kordofan, Sudanese army drone strikes have reportedly killed at least 152 civilians, including a market and hospital hit on March 7th, and a civilian lorry on March 10th. In South Kordofan, heavy artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied SPLM-North between March 4th and 5th reportedly killed at least 39 civilians, damaging homes, schools, and health facilities. The conflict’s expansion to White Nile state has also raised alarms, with RSF drone strikes hitting a secondary school and health clinic, killing at least 17 civilians, including a health worker. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk noted, “It will soon be three full years since the senseless conflict in Sudan began, devastating millions of lives and livelihoods. Yet the violence, fueled by these new technologies of war, simply keeps spreading.”
UN Urges Stronger Action to End Violence Against Women and Girls
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has highlighted that war, militarization, and inequality continue to fuel violence against women and girls, urging governments to take decisive action beyond condemnation. Speaking at a high-level meeting, she warned that global conflicts inflict severe and lasting harm on women and girls. In 2024, over 4,500 cases of conflict-related sexual violence were verified by the UN, though the actual number is likely higher due to stigma and reporting challenges. Mohammed pointed to alarming patterns, including widespread sexual violence and attacks on women human rights defenders in Sudan. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a child is reportedly raped every half hour, and Haiti has seen a dramatic surge in sexual violence against children. The Deputy Secretary-General stressed the critical need for women’s central role in peace processes and political decision-making, stating that lasting peace is unattainable without their inclusion and protection.
UN Alarmed by Deadly Clashes and Rising Displacement in DR Congo’s Ituri
The UN is raising serious concerns over escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), warning of increased danger and displacement for civilians in Ituri Province. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported that humanitarian agencies are deeply concerned by the impact of ongoing violence on civilians. Local partners indicate that at least 10 civilians were killed near Bule locality on Wednesday during clashes between armed groups. Since the beginning of March, fighting in surrounding villages has resulted in at least 21 deaths and forced many to flee. Displacement sites are becoming severely overcrowded, with the Plaine Savo site now hosting nearly 136,000 people, doubling its population in two months. Humanitarian access remains severely restricted due to insecurity, preventing aid workers from reaching affected areas, including the Plaine Savo site since March 8th.
