Almost 1,000 civilians were killed and hundreds were injured in armed military drone strikes in Africa during the last three years, states a new report published by Drone Wars UK on Monday. Death on Delivery warns of the rising use of armed drones with very little international oversight or accountability, reports The Guardian.
It ratified at least 50 independent deadly drone attacks carried out by troops in Africa during November 2021 and November 2024. Analysts reported a "striking pattern of civilian harm" from uncontrolled expansion by cheaper, foreign drones, mostly Turkey's Bayraktar TB2.
“This has to change," said Cora Morris of Drone Wars UK. "Unless the global community acts quickly to develop and put in place a new control regime, we are very likely to see more instances of civilian killings as a result of the use of armed drones."
Six African conflicts marked by deadly drone strikes
Armed drones have been employed in a minimum of six active conflicts on the continent, including Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria. The most lethal toll on civilians was in Ethiopia, where 26 individual drone strikes by the government against the Tigray People's Liberation Front killed more than 490 civilians.
In Mali, nine government-led drone strikes against separatist forces in the north killed at least 64 civilians. Over 100 civilians were killed in drone strikes by Burkina Faso's military.
One of the deadliest attacks in Burkina Faso's Sahel region in August 2023 involved drones attacking a busy marketplace in the village of Bouro, killing at least 28 civilians.
Imported drones driving conflict and civilian casualties
The report points to the use of imported drones in igniting these conflicts. The majority of armed drones employed in Africa come from Turkey, China, and Iran. The Bayraktar TB2, for instance, is now a weapon of preference among numerous African militaries.
The MALE drones, which have the capability of surveillance and airstrikes for prolonged periods and cover long distances, are increasing their violence in conflict areas.
Drones have been used in densely populated places in Sudan, including Khartoum's markets, causing what the report identifies as "grave consequences" for civilians. Iranian, Chinese, and Turkish drones have been operated by Sudan's armed forces, while the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have operated drones that are reportedly supplied by the UAE.
While state media in nations such as Burkina Faso hailed drone strikes as successful counter-insurgency missions, local narratives tell a different story. "The Burkinabè government's blanket endorsement of strikes such as that on Bouro's market is based on an image of drone warfare as an effective, high-tech innovation in the country's military campaigns," the report said.
Yet on-the-ground investigation quickly dispels this image: uncovering erratic bombardments of innocent communities, sowing only more devastation and insecurity."
Urgent call for international oversight
Drone Wars UK has made an urgent appeal for international intervention to control the use and spread of armed drones in Africa. The report warned that without international oversight, civilian casualties will increase.
This is not only a technological problem but a human rights issue," Morris stated. "The price of inaction is paid in innocent lives.”
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