Sudan ranked the world’s second-deadliest country for humanitarian workers in 2025, with 71 aid personnel killed, the UN said Wednesday.
Gaza remained the deadliest location for a third consecutive year, recording 186 humanitarian worker deaths during the same period.
Worldwide, 907 aid workers were killed, injured or kidnapped in 2025, setting another record for violence against humanitarian personnel.
The annual death toll fell slightly to 350, but the UN humanitarian office said overall violence showed no sign of easing.
Another 322 aid workers were injured and 235 kidnapped, underscoring the growing risks facing humanitarian operations in conflict zones.
“More than 1,000 aid workers have been killed in just three years,” said Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian chief.
Fletcher urged states to uphold international humanitarian law, protect civilians and aid workers, and impose meaningful consequences on those violating the rules.
The violence has continued into 2026, with at least 82 aid workers killed, 97 injured and 39 kidnapped worldwide so far.
The UN also warned that inexpensive, adaptable armed drones are creating growing threats to civilians and humanitarian personnel, particularly in urban areas.
In Sudan, armed drones accounted for 80% of civilian deaths during the first four months of 2026, striking markets and health facilities.
Drone attacks have also killed civilians in Ukraine and damaged infrastructure in Russia, while Colombia saw weaponized drone attacks quadruple.
Aid workers have increasingly been caught in such attacks, including deadly strikes targeting residential buildings and humanitarian convoys.
“Weaponized drones have become the new face of an old danger,” Fletcher said, stressing that the laws of war remain unchanged.
