World News in Brief: Deadly drone attacks in Sudan, violence against women in the spotlight, more clashes in DR Congo

“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,” said the High Commissioner.

He renewed his call for both sides in the brutal civil conflict between rival militaries to fully abide by international law, “particularly the clear prohibition on directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects and infrastructure, and against any form of indiscriminate attacks.”

In West Kordofan, at least 152 civilians have reportedly been killed by Sudanese army drone strikes, including at least 50 when a market and a hospital were hit.

Attacks on two separate markets in Abu Zabad and Wad Banda on 7 March left at least 40 civilians dead, and a lorry carrying civilians was struck allegedly by a SAF drone on 10 March, reportedly killing at least 50 civilians. 

Homes and markets struck

In South Kordofan, at least 39 civilians were reportedly killed, including 14 in the state capital Dilling, in heavy artillery shelling by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied SPLM-North between 4 and 5 March.

Many homes, schools, markets and health facilities were damaged or destroyed in the attacks, compounding the impacts on civilians and local communities.

The High Commissioner also expressed alarm at the recent expansion of the conflict to White Nile state, which has come under heavy attack by RSF militia drone strikes since 4 March. A secondary school and a health clinic in Shukeiri village were hit on 11 March reportedly killing at least 17 civilians, one of them a health worker. 

 “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,” said Mr. Türk.

UN urges stronger action to end violence against women and girls

The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, has warned that violence against women and girls continues to be fuelled by war, militarisation and entrenched inequality, urging governments to move beyond condemnation and take decisive action.

Speaking at a high-level meeting marking five years of the UN Group of Friends for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls, she said conflicts around the world are exposing women and girls to severe and lasting harm.

According to the UN, more than 4,500 cases of conflict-related sexual violence were verified in 2024, although the true number is likely far higher due to stigma, fear and collapsed reporting systems.

Clear patterns of violence

The Deputy Secretary-General pointed to alarming patterns in several crises. In Sudan, UN experts have reported widespread sexual violence and attacks on women human rights defenders. 

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a child has been reported raped every half hour, while in Haiti sexual violence against children surged dramatically in recent years.

Ms. Mohammed stressed that women must be central to peace processes and political decision-making, warning that lasting peace cannot be achieved while women and girls remain excluded and unprotected.

UN alarmed by deadly clashes and rising displacement in DR Congo’s Ituri

The UN has raised alarm over escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), warning that civilians in Ituri Province are facing growing danger and displacement.

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters in New York on Thursday that humanitarian agencies are “deeply concerned by the impact of continued violence on civilians” in the region.

A deadly month

According to local partners, at least 10 civilians were killed on Wednesday near the Bule locality in Djugu Territory during clashes between armed groups. Since the beginning of March, fighting in surrounding villages has left at least 21 people dead and forced many others to flee their homes.

Displacement sites are rapidly becoming overcrowded. Authorities report that the Plaine Savo site now hosts nearly 136,000 people – roughly double the number recorded two months ago.

Despite the growing needs, aid workers are struggling to reach those affected. Mr. Dujarric said humanitarian access remains “severely restricted due to insecurity”, noting that partners have been unable to safely reach the Plaine Savo site since 8 March after a new surge in violence.