The use of drones by several African countries in their fight against armed groups is causing significant harm to civilians, according to a  report by Drone Wars UK.

More than 943 civilians have been killed in at least 50 incidents across six African countries from November 2021 to November 2024.

The report, titled Death on Delivery, reveals that strikes regularly fail to distinguish between civilians and combatants in their operations. 

Experts told Al Jazeera that the death toll is likely only the tip of the iceberg because many countries run secretive drone campaigns.

As drones rapidly become the weapon of choice for governments across the continent, what are the consequences for civilians in conflict zones? 

Is it time for the world to regulate the sale of drones? What explains the surge in drone acquisitions by African nations?

The report highlights how the number of African nations acquiring armed drones, specifically Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) drones, have increased dramatically in recent years.

Since 2022, at least 10 African countries have obtained these weapons, with governments justifying their purchases as a means to combat rebellions and security threats.

However, the reality on the ground has often been different, with many strikes leading to mass civilian casualties, raising concerns about human rights violations. 

Cora Morris, the report’s author, said drones have been marketed as an “efficient” and modern way to conduct warfare, with minimal risk to military personnel.

In reality, that’s not always true, as civilian casualties have mounted. Morris said drones “significantly lower the threshold for the use of force, making it much easier for armies to deploy munitions without risk to their forces”.

“The result of this has been a grave civilian toll,” she told Al Jazeera. The proliferation of drones has also been fuelled by geopolitical shifts, as African governments seek greater military self-reliance and turn to new suppliers willing to sell without stringent conditions.

Michael Spagat, head of the Department of Economics at Royal Holloway University of London, sees the trend as primarily driven by economics. — AFRICANEWS