The UN said on Tuesday 20 October that it strongly condemns a series of drone attacks in Abyei in which at least 28 civilians were killed at Amiet Market and Todach, with many injured and many unaccounted for. The attack took place on Monday 19 October. The UN did not say who carried out the Abyei attacks. Its briefing does not state which country Abyei falls under, and the UN peacekeeping mission there, UNISFA, describes it as the disputed Abyei Area. The same briefing also listed reported drone strikes in Sudan between Sunday 18 October and Tuesday 20 October.
What the UN said
The statement came from the UN spokesperson at the daily press briefing on 20 October. On Abyei, he said the UN condemns the series of drone attacks, and gave the toll of at least 28 civilians killed at the two locations.
On Sudan, he said the UN also condemns the reported killing of dozens of civilians in a drone strike on a market in Al Dibab locality, West Kordofan State, on Sunday 18 October. He said: "We remain alarmed by the relentless drone attacks across Sudan".
The briefing then listed reported strikes on Monday 19 October: in Khartoum, three children aged between 2 and 6 and their father were reportedly killed when a drone struck a residential area, and in South Darfur State a drone reportedly hit a residential house in the state capital Nyala, causing civilian casualties including women and children. On Tuesday 20 October, drones reportedly struck the main power station in the town of Tendalti, in White Nile State, damaging facilities.
The UN also said the Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, is co-hosting the Sixth Consultative Group Meeting on Sudan in Geneva from Wednesday 21 October. The spokesman later clarified that neither the Sudanese Government nor the Rapid Support Forces would be represented at that meeting.
What the FCDO says
The FCDO advises against all travel to Sudan because of the ongoing military conflict in Khartoum and other parts of the country. The exception is the Hala'ib Triangle and the Bir Tawil Trapezoid, where it advises against all but essential travel. The page says the British Embassy in Khartoum is closed due to the conflict and that there are no British consular staff in Sudan.
This post does not report a new FCDO change. The latest change note on the Sudan advice is dated 11 May 2026 and concerns airport operations.
What it means for operators
These are Ops Con planning points, not UN or FCDO guidance.
Treat the strikes as a pattern, not isolated incidents. The UN's list covers a market, a residential area, a house and a power station in different states within three days. Residential areas, markets and infrastructure are all named as struck.
Do not plan around consular help. With no British consular staff in Sudan, any contingency for a principal or team in the country has to be self-contained: your own movement plan, medical cover and extraction route, agreed before arrival.
Expect power and communications to be fragile where infrastructure is hit. A strike on a power station is a reminder to plan for loss of power at accommodation and comms.
Watch the Geneva meeting. The UN says the parties to the conflict will not be there, so do not read it as a change to the security picture on the ground. Re-check the FCDO page and UN briefings before each task.
