Armed drones emerge as new threat to aid workers as UN warns of rising violence
NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 19-Cheap and increasingly accessible armed drones are emerging as a deadly new threat to humanitarian workers, with the United Nations warning that the technology is putting lethal…
Armed drones are increasingly posing a grave threat to humanitarian workers, according to a recent warning from the United Nations. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 907 aid workers were killed, injured, or kidnapped in 2022, with 322 injured and 235 kidnapped. Gaza witnessed the highest number of deaths among aid workers for the third consecutive year, with 186 fatalities.
The UN is particularly alarmed by the growing use of cheap and easily accessible armed drones, which can deliver explosives into populated areas, escalating the dangers faced by aid workers in conflict zones. In Sudan, armed drones were responsible for 80% of civilian deaths during the first four months of 2026, targeting markets and health facilities.
Ukraine also experienced drone attacks in April, killing 80 civilians, while Russian Federation attacks killed civilians and damaged civilian infrastructure. Colombia saw a quadrupling of drone attacks between 2024 and 2025. OCHA Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that humanitarian workers are facing unprecedented dangers, with over a thousand killed in the past three years.
He stressed that attacks on humanitarian personnel are illegal and called for states to uphold international law, ensure safe access, and hold perpetrators accountable.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
