Nearly 1,000 civilians have been killed and hundreds more wounded in military drone attacks across Africa as the use of unmanned aerial vehicles continues to rise uncontested on the continent. 

According to The Guardian, at least 50 deadly drone strikes by armed forces took place in Africa between 2021 and November 2024, with analysts highlighting a "striking pattern of civilian harm" and a lack of accountability. 

While the surge in armed drones used by Ukraine and Russia has drawn significant attention, there is little focus on the growing use of affordable drones, like Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2, in Africa. Cora Morris from Drone Wars UK, which published the report "Death on Delivery" on Monday, emphasizes this overlooked trend.

"This must change. Unless the international community moves rapidly towards developing and implementing a new control regime, we are highly likely to see more examples of the killing of civilians from the use of armed drones," said Morris.

Armed drones have been confirmed in at least six conflicts across Africa: Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ethiopia, with the majority of attacks occurring in these regions.

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In Ethiopia, drone strikes by the armed forces against groups like the Tigray People’s Liberation Front have resulted in over 490 civilian deaths across 26 separate attacks.

In Mali, at least 64 civilians were killed in nine drone strikes by the Malian military targeting separatist groups in the north. Additionally, over 100 civilians have been killed in Burkina Faso by drone strikes carried out by the country's military.

The Drone Wars UK report highlighted that the unchecked spread of armed drones in Africa has resulted in over 940 civilian deaths since November 2021, a figure the organization considers conservative. 

The proliferation of armed drones in African conflicts has had severe consequences, such as in Sudan’s civil war, where drones have been used in densely populated areas like markets in Khartoum, resulting in grave civilian harm.

On that note, late last month, satellite images showed at least three drones and hangars under construction at the Nyala airport in South Darfur, which serves as a stronghold for the Rapid Support Forces and a base for its offensive against al-Fashir, the last Sudanese army-controlled stronghold in Darfur. 
 
The satellite images, captured by Maxar, show the construction of three hangars over five weeks between January and February, as well as at least one drone which first appeared on December 9, 2024.