Sudan and other conflict zones face escalating civilian suffering as the UN warns of widespread and growing wartime atrocities.
The United Nations said roughly one civilian was killed every fourteen minutes in armed conflicts monitored in 2025.
Officials stressed this figure covers only documented deaths across twenty conflicts, with real tolls believed to be significantly higher.
They pointed to Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, and occupied Palestinian territories as key crisis hotspots.
In 2025, more than 1,350 attacks targeted medical services, striking hospitals, ambulances, and health workers across multiple war zones.
Humanitarian workers are also increasingly at risk, with 144 killed, injured, abducted, or detained in 2026 while delivering aid.
The UN warned that drone warfare and artificial intelligence are rapidly accelerating violence, with drone use rising 4,000 percent since 2020.
Officials said these patterns stem from deliberate choices, warning that rising militarisation and impunity are deepening civilian exposure.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said violations of international humanitarian law are becoming normalised across global conflicts.
ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric warned that blocking detainee access and dehumanising enemies is eroding core humanitarian norms.
