The United Nations has sharply condemned a deadly drone strike on a wedding in Sudan’s North Darfur region, denouncing the attack as another horrific example of civilians paying the highest price in the country’s escalating conflict.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, through his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, said the strike hit the town of Kutum in North Darfur, where families had gathered to celebrate a marriage. The drone attack tore through the ceremony, killing more than 30 people, including women and children, and injuring many others.

“We condemn this and all attacks against civilians. Attacks using drones against civilians and civilian objects are unacceptable,” Dujarric told reporters, stressing that parties to the conflict are bound by international humanitarian law to protect non-combatants.

The Kutum strike is the latest atrocity in Sudan’s war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, whose power struggle erupted into full-scale conflict in April 2023. Fighting has devastated urban centers and remote communities alike, with Darfur once again emerging as one of the most dangerous regions.

Beyond North Darfur, violence has surged in other parts of the country. Dujarric reported that clashes near the town of Dilling in South Kordofan have killed 47 civilians and wounded dozens more in recent days, underscoring how front lines continue to shift and expand.

The UN says the war has already killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions inside Sudan and across its borders. Entire neighborhoods have been emptied, and makeshift camps have sprung up in schools, open fields and along roadsides as families flee bombardment and street fighting.

Humanitarian operations have been repeatedly obstructed by insecurity, bureaucratic hurdles and targeted attacks on aid workers and warehouses. Dujarric warned that these disruptions are worsening an already catastrophic situation marked by disease outbreaks, collapsing health services and soaring food insecurity.

The UN has described Sudan as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with large parts of the population facing acute hunger and limited access to clean water or medical care. Relief agencies say they are struggling to reach those most in need.

Calling for “an immediate cessation of hostilities,” the Secretary-General’s office urged all parties to allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access across Sudan. The UN reiterated that only a negotiated political solution and respect for civilian life can halt the country’s slide into deeper chaos.