(Ecofin Agency) - Armed drones are now active in nearly 20 African countries. They're reshaping how wars are fought—bringing a new level of reach and precision—but also leaving a trail of deadly mistakes that have hit civilians the hardest.

Nearly 1,000 civilians have been killed in drone strikes carried out by African militaries between November 2021 and November 2024, according to a report released on March 10 by UK-based group Drone Wars. The report -Death on Delivery: Drone Proliferation and Civilian Harm in Africa- sheds light on the rising use of combat drones in Africa and the growing toll on innocent lives.

It highlights how these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become central to modern warfare. The most popular ones are known as MALE drones—short for medium altitude, long endurance—like the U.S.-made MQ-9 Reaper and Turkey’s TB-2 Bayraktar. They can fly for hours over long distances, carry out surveillance, and launch airstrikes, all while keeping the military far from danger.

Back in 2014, only four countries—the U.S., Israel, China, and the UK—were operating armed drones. But over the past decade, that number has grown fast, especially in Africa. Countries like Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Rwanda now have military drones, mostly bought from China, Turkey, or Iran. In total, nearly 20 African nations are now using them.

Governments often justify buying drones as a way to fight armed rebels and terrorist threats. But on the ground, many strikes have failed to tell the difference between fighters and civilians.

The report draws from data collected by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), as well as trusted media and NGO sources. It found that at least 943 civilians were killed in 50 separate drone strikes across Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Sudan, and Somalia during the three-year period. Five of those countries were using Turkish-made Bayraktar TB-2 drones.

Ethiopia saw the highest number of civilian deaths, with over 490 people killed in 26 drone attacks targeting rebel groups like the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Burkina Faso followed with 103 civilian deaths, then Mali with 98. The real numbers are likely even higher, the report says, since not all strikes are reported and many countries carry out drone operations in secret.

The rise in civilian casualties has sparked growing calls for tighter rules on drone use and exports. Right now, there are three major international agreements that deal with arms control and drone exports: the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the UN Arms Trade Treaty, and the Wassenaar Arrangement, which was set up in 1996 to regulate the export of conventional weapons and dual-use technologies. But the report says these agreements have “serious weaknesses” and fail to stop the spread of armed drones.

As more states—and potentially non-state actors—gain access to these technologies, the risk of widespread misuse only grows. Without stronger international rules, Drone Wars says, more civilians will continue to pay the price for a new era of remote warfare.

This article was initially published in French by Walid Kéfi

Edited in English by Firmine AIZAN