World News in Brief: Deadly drone strikes in Sudan, families killed in West Bank, Ukraine casualties update

Two people walking along a sandy path between makeshift huts under a blue sky with clouds.
UNFPA
 
Two children walking in Goz Al Salam displacement camp in White Nile State, Sudan.

This article is published in association with United Nations.


Relentless drone strikes across Sudan’s Kordofan and Darfur regions are causing civilian casualties and further restricting humanitarian access, the UN warned on Monday.

Two people were reportedly killed in a strike on the town of Al Rahad, southeast of El Obeid in North Kordofan, where a hospital was also destroyed.

Tweet URL

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=UN_News_Centre&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2033117029088071755&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.un.org%2Fen%2Fstory%2F2026%2F03%2F1167142&sessionId=48e8761df6215526132dbf0c240110fae9b852cf&siteScreenName=UN_News_Centre&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px

 Additional casualties were reported two days earlier when drone strikes hit Al Fula, the capital of West Kordofan.

Across Darfur, strikes between Thursday and Saturday caused further casualties and widespread damage, including in the Wadi Sira area west of El Fasher and in several neighbourhoods of Nyala, South Darfur’s capital.

Another food market struck

A strike on a market in Akidong in West Darfur on 12 March also triggered a large explosion. Medics with the NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said 23 injured civilians – including women and children – were treated at a hospital it supports across the border in Chad.

“The situation is truly horrific,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said.

Despite the insecurity, aid agencies continue delivering assistance. In River Nile State, partners have installed water tanks in displacement sites and schools in Shendi to ease shortages.

The UN again urged all parties to protect civilians and ensure “rapid, safe and unimpeded” humanitarian access.

UN human rights office condemns killing of Palestinian families

Two Palestinian families were reportedly killed on Sunday by Israeli forces in Gaza and the West Bank, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, has said.

An airstrike on one of the last few houses still standing in Middle Gaza’s Az Zuwaida killed a man, his pregnant wife, their young son and a teenager, the agency stated.

Tweet URL

https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=UN_News_Centre&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2033202288559263778&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.un.org%2Fen%2Fstory%2F2026%2F03%2F1167142&sessionId=48e8761df6215526132dbf0c240110fae9b852cf&siteScreenName=UN_News_Centre&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px

In the northern occupied West Bank, meanwhile, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a couple and their two children aged five and six in Tammoun – all suffered shots to the head.

Physical and verbal abuse

The two older sons survived and said that the Israeli soldiers had physically assaulted and verbally abused them, after killing their parents and brothers.

The UN office said such incidents raised serious concerns about a “persistent trend” of unlawful killings of Palestinians with impunity.

Since the announcement of a ceasefire deal in Gaza in October 2025, 663 people have been killed in Israeli military attacks, according to the Palestinian authorities.

The violence against Palestinians has intensified since the start of the wider regional war on 28 February, the UN human rights office said, citing movement restrictions that keep Palestinians in “locked silos” and claiming that armed Israeli settlers and security forces roam free, attacking Palestinian communities across the occupied West Bank.

Ukraine: Civilian casualties remain high in February, UN reports

At least 188 civilians were killed and 757 injured in Ukraine in February, according to the latest report from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country, highlighting the continuing toll of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The figures are similar to those recorded in January but remain significantly higher than in the same month in previous years.

Civilian casualties in February were around 31 per cent higher than in February 2025 and 83 per cent higher than in February 2024, reflecting intensified hostilities and the persistent use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

Missiles and drones

Most civilian casualties were recorded in territory controlled by the Ukrainian Government. The majority were caused by missile and drone attacks, artillery fire and other explosive weapons used in urban and residential areas.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UN has verified more than 15,000 civilian deaths and over 41,000 injuries across Ukraine.

Human rights monitors stress that the actual number of casualties is likely to be considerably higher, as verification remains difficult in areas where active fighting continues.

A 16-year-old Ukrainian student, Veronika, walks up a staircase inside Zlatopil Lyceum in Kharkiv region, eastern Ukraine, illuminated by daylight. She continues her education despite ongoing hostilities during the fourth year of the full-scale war.

© UNICEF/Oleksii Filippov

A girl walks up a staircase inside Zlatopil Lyceum in Kharkiv region, eastern Ukraine.


Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Interesting reads

© World Vision Smoke rises in Beit Mery, close to the Lebanese capital, Beirut, following an airstrike.

Middle East war’s ‘spiral of conflict’ drives mounting civilian toll

This article is published in association with United Nations. The widening war in the Middle East and its growing impact on civilians came under scrutiny at the UN in Geneva on Monday, as independent experts briefing the Human Rights Council warned of escalating violence following the onset of Israeli and US strikes on Iran and counterstrikes […]
© Mousawat A mother and child displaced by the conflict in Lebanon receiving care at a clinic.

Middle East war: Women in Lebanon forced to give birth on roadside

This article is published in association with United Nations. As the UN Secretary-General touched down in Beirut on Friday in solidarity with the people of Lebanon, UN agencies highlighted the dangers for civilians and particularly pregnant women and migrant workers, amid ongoing airstrikes and rocket fire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel.  “There’s 11,600 pregnant women who […]
© WFP/Arete/Ali Yunes Some residents of Beirut who have been displaced by the conflict are now living on the streets of the Lebanese capital.

‘Perfect storm’: Lebanon crisis deepens as civilians bear the brunt

This article is published in association with United Nations. Lebanon is facing a “perfect storm of unpredictable challenges” as conflict, mass displacement and dwindling humanitarian resources converge, the UN’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, has warned. The current escalation began on 2 March, when outgoing fire by Hezbollah drew a strong retaliation from […]
© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour People living in Gaza have received humanitarian aid from the UN throughout the conflict with Israel.

UN relief chief condemns ‘$1 billion-a-day’ cost of war in Middle East

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN’s emergency relief chief on Wednesday condemned the “$1 billion-a-day” cost of the war in the Middle East, at a time when humanitarian needs are soaring and aid funding is falling dangerously short. “We’re seeing the consequences spread faster than we can respond”, warned the UN emergency […]
© UNICEF/Azizullah Karimi Afghan returnees from Iran gather at the Islam-Border, near Herat in western Afghanistan (file).

‘Toxic rain’ warning from oil depot strikes amid ongoing Middle East war

This article is published in association with United Nations. Toxic “black rain” linked to strikes on oil depots, mass displacement and continuing disruption to aid supply chains are upending lives across the Middle East and beyond after 10 days of war in the region, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.  Speaking to reporters in Geneva, UN Human […]
© UNHCR People gather at the Masnaa border point in Lebanon as they wait to cross into Syria.

Nearly 700,000 displaced in Lebanon as Middle East crisis escalates

This article is published in association with United Nations. On day 10 of the war engulfing the Middle East, UN agencies on Monday reported massive displacement across the region, along with surging food and fuel prices that risk increasing hunger and suffering for the most vulnerable. In Lebanon alone, nearly 700,000 people including around 200,000 children […]
UN Photo/Pasqual Gorriz Smoke rises in Beirut, Lebanon, following the outbreak of hostilities across the Middle East.

Lebanon ‘dragged back into turmoil’, UN envoy warns

This article is published in association with United Nations. Lebanon has been “dragged back into a state of turmoil and violence”, the UN’s top envoy in the country warned on Saturday, after the latest round of regional strikes triggered a fast‑escalating crisis along the Blue Line. What had been fragile but real momentum, she said, has […]
UNHCR Smoke rises after an airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon.

MIDDLE EAST LIVE: Strikes continue across Middle East as humanitarian concerns grow

This article is published in association with United Nations. Highlights Production team: Vibhu Mishra with Daniel Johnson in GenevaToday 12:15 μ.μ. UN rights office warns displacement orders in Lebanon affecting hundreds of thousands The UN human rights office has warned that large-scale displacement orders and ongoing airstrikes in Lebanon are worsening the suffering of civilians already affected […]
© UNICEF/Ramzi Haidar Destroyed buildings and debris in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, following airstrikes.

MIDDLE EAST LIVE: Further escalation drives uncertainty and suffering

This article is published in association with United Nations. On day six of the war in the Middle East, there’s been no let-up in bombs, drones and rockets targeting Iran, Israel, Lebanon and many Gulf States, while NATO forces reportedly intercepted a missile fired at Türkiye by Iran, a claim denied by Tehran. We’ll bring you […]
UN Photo/Pasqual Gorriz Smoke rises in Beirut, Lebanon, following the outbreak of hostilities across the Middle East.

MIDDLE EAST LIVE: Conflict continues across region amid US, Israeli and Iranian strikes

This article is published in association with United Nations. Violence in the Middle East is continuing into a fifth day, with US and Israeli strikes against Iran and Iranian missile and drone attacks reported across several countries in the region. The escalating confrontation is disrupting airspace, transport and daily life while raising fears of a wider […]
© IAEA/Paolo Contri The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran.

Iran crisis: Schoolgirls killed, thousands displaced and aid compromised

This article is published in association with United Nations. On the fourth day of Israeli and United States airstrikes against Iran and amid growing violence and instability in the Middle East, the UN urgently called for protection of civilians and warned of growing displacement and humanitarian needs. UN human rights office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani also recalled […]
© Unsplash/Kamran Gholami Tehran, the capital of Iran. (file photo)

MIDDLE EAST LIVE: Strikes continue from US, Israel and Iran as UN urges restraint

This article is published in association with United Nations. Violent escalation in the Middle East has entered a third day as coordinated US and Israeli strikes against Iran aimed at regime change continue to cause loss of life and damage across the region, prompting Iranian missile and drone counter-strikes hitting targets in multiple countries. Explosions, airspace […]
Iran attacks

Deadly bombing of Iran primary school ‘a grave violation of humanitarian law’: UNESCO

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN education agency, UNESCO, says that the bombing of a primary school during the US and Israeli military attacks on Iran on Saturday constitutes a grave violation of humanitarian law. The missiles reportedly destroyed a girl’s primary school in Minab, southern Iran, killing around 150 and […]
© UNRCO Iran Tehran, the capital of Iran.

Attacks on Iran and retaliatory strikes ‘undermine international peace and security’

This article is published in association with United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the heads of UN agencies have condemned Saturday’s joint Israeli and US attacks on Iran and the Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel and the Gulf Regions. The attack on Iran reportedly targeted military sites as well as the leadership of the Iranian […]
© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour A woman holds a child as a storm approaches Khan Younis in Gaza.

Palestine: UN rights chief highlights suffering, atrocity crimes ‘that remain unpunished

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN rights chief Volker Türk on Thursday highlighted the “human-made disaster” across the Occupied Palestinian Territory stemming from Israel’s disregard for human rights norms and serious violations also committed by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. Citing a new report from his office (OHCHR) covering the […]
Ángela Soria Pitarch was born on March 28, 2003. She is currently a fifth-year medical student at the University of Valencia.

Not the Future, the Present: Young Voices Shaping Global Health in 2026

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Ángela Soria Pitarch was born on March 28, 2003. She is currently a fifth-year medical student at the University of Valencia. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to […]
© UNOCHA Many rural areas of Ukraine have been blasted by shelling and drone strikes. The country is also one of the most mined in the world, top UN aid officials warn.

Ukraine wakes to more violence as Russia’s invasion enters fifth year

This article is published in association with United Nations. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops on 24 February 2022 shattered the peaceful aspirations of an entire continent, but war must never be the new normal, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said on Tuesday. “Four years ago, people in Europe woke up in another […]
Fokah Wembe Darrell Dupray is a 4th-year medical student at Université des Montagnes, Bangangté Cameroon and a student leader within the Cameroon Medical Students’ Association (CAMSA).

From Local Barriers to Global Lessons: Practical Paths Toward Inclusive Healthcare

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Zainatun Nawwariyah is a fifth-year medical student at the Faculty of Medicine, University of North Sumatera, who is passionate about advancing medicine through research, advocacy, and service. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed […]
© UNICEF/Bullen Chol A grandmother takes care of her 17-month-old malnourished grandson in South Sudan.

World News in Brief: UN humanitarian chief visits South Sudan, shelter fire risks in Gaza, West Bank violence

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator arrived in South Sudan on Friday to visit one of the most under-reported humanitarian crises in the world, as clashes between government and opposition forces continue in Jonglei state.  Tom Fletcher will focus on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the world’s youngest country and escalating protection risks for both civilians and aid workers.  […]

Why don't you drop your comment here?

Go back up

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

The European Sting – Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology – europeansting.com