Nearly 1,000 civilian lives have been lost and many more injured due to military drone operations across Africa, highlighting a troubling trend linked to the growing presence of unmanned aerial vehicles on the continent, a new report has revealed.

According to the findings, at least 50 lethal drone strikes have been carried out by African military forces between November 2021 and November 2024. Analysts noted a “disturbing consistency in civilian casualties,” often occurring without proper oversight or accountability.

While global attention frequently focuses on the deployment of drones in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the widespread and growing use of more affordable, mass-imported drones in African warfare remains underreported. Cora Morris of Drone Wars UK, which released a report titled Death on Delivery, stressed that drones like Turkey’s Bayraktar TB2 are increasingly being used with minimal scrutiny.

“That must change. If the international community fails to act swiftly by establishing new regulatory frameworks, we will likely see a continued increase in civilian deaths from drone warfare,” Morris warned.

Use of armed drones has been documented in at least six African conflicts, notably in Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ethiopia — the latter being the site of the highest number of reported incidents.

In Ethiopia, military drone attacks targeting opposition forces, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, were responsible for more than 490 civilian deaths across 26 incidents.

Similarly, nine drone strikes conducted by the Malian armed forces led to at least 64 civilian deaths in the country’s northern regions. In neighboring Burkina Faso, over 100 civilians are believed to have died as a result of drone campaigns carried out by its military.

The report by Drone Wars UK stated that the unregulated spread of armed drones in Africa has caused over 940 civilian deaths since late 2021 — and emphasized that this figure is likely an underestimate.

Drones primarily originate from Turkey, China, and Iran, with researchers expressing increasing concern about the region's growing reliance on “medium altitude, long endurance” (MALE) drone models.

These types of drones are capable of remaining airborne over long distances and extended durations, allowing for both surveillance and attack missions.

The dangers of drone proliferation have been especially evident in Sudan's ongoing civil war where drones have been used in crowded urban settings, including dense areas like markets in Khartoum, leading to devastating outcomes. The Sudanese military has deployed drones from Iran, China, and Turkey, while its opponent, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has utilized unmanned systems believed to have been supplied by the UAE, the report noted.

In Burkina Faso, Bayraktar TB2 drones have become a core component of the state’s response to jihadist groups. State media often showcases successful operations in which these drones are used to take out alleged terrorist targets, praising the efficiency and technical sophistication of their use.

However, testimonies from those directly affected frequently report a much grimmer reality — with widespread civilian deaths. In one tragic event in August 2023, a drone strike on a local market in Bouro, located in the Sahel region, resulted in the deaths of at least 28 civilians.

“The Burkinabè government portrays events like the Bouro market strike as clear victories, showcasing drone attacks as a sign of modern capability and state control,” the report stated.

“Yet, field investigations quickly dismantle that narrative, revealing a pattern of indiscriminate bombings that continue to devastate civilian communities and fuel deeper insecurity.”