A record number of humanitarian workers were killed, injured or kidnapped in 2025, with the growing use of armed drones contributing to mounting risks in conflict zones, the United Nations said on Wednesday.
Some 907 aid workers were affected last year, up from 833 in 2024, according to the Aid Worker Security Database, a platform funded by Canada and Australia that records major security incidents involving humanitarian personnel.
Of those, 350 were killed. While the figure was slightly lower than the record 387 deaths reported in 2024, the overall level of violence against humanitarian workers reached a new high.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation as “appalling” and called on states to respect the rules of war and ensure those responsible for attacks are held accountable.
“Serving others has become more dangerous than ever,” Guterres said ahead of UN ceremonies marking World Humanitarian Day (19 August).
Flags were due to be flown at half-mast in New York and Geneva in honour of humanitarian workers who have been killed.
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the proliferation of cheap and adaptable armed drones in modern conflicts had increased the dangers faced by humanitarian workers.
In March, drone strikes hit Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, killing at least three people, including a French aid worker.
Humanitarian convoys operating in Sudan and Ukraine have also repeatedly been struck.
Gaza was by far the deadliest location for humanitarian personnel in 2025, with 186 aid workers killed during the year, according to the database. Sudan recorded the second-highest number of deaths.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has said at least 393 of its staff have been killed in Gaza since the Israel-Gaza war began on 7 October 2023.
Israel, which is fighting Hamas in the Strip, has said it goes to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties.
UNRWA’s former chief Philippe Lazzarini said earlier this year that he was seeking the establishment of a high-level panel to investigate the deaths of staff members.
Bushra Khalidi, global humanitarian policy lead at Oxfam, called for stronger measures to protect humanitarian personnel working in conflict zones.
“We’re witnessing an assault on humanitarian action itself,” she said.
Pakistan is pushing for urgent global action and greater climate funding as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attends COP31 in Türkiye, warning th...
Armenia has lost its voting rights and the ability to nominate officials for certain posts within the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organi...
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing dis...
Delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States met in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday for their first formal talks in nine months. They did so with no agreement on what a ceasefire would be tied to or who gets to keep the land currently under Russian control.
At least 17 people have been reported killed in an explosion at a steel plant in western Türkiye, after a crane collapsed during maintenance work. The disaster has prompted a criminal investigation into what went wrong at the industrial facility.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning at this year's COP31 summit, saying the climate crisis iss advancing faster than governments' efforts to contain it.
Armenia could lose its voting rights within the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on 11 November after failing to pay membership fees for more than two years, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
U.S. envoy Jared Kushner said Washington believes the Russian President is prepared to reach a peace agreement under the right conditions, as U.S., Russian and Ukrainian delegations began trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday 10 November.
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing disruption to factories, ports, shops and public transport just weeks before a snap general election.
Two days of U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi have ended with an agreement on a major prisoner exchange, but key disputes over security and territory remain unresolved.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning at this year's COP31 summit, saying the climate crisis iss advancing faster than governments' efforts to contain it.
Iran has unveiled a new underground missile and drone base, warning that it will respond forcefully to any attack, as tensions persist with the U.S. and oil tankers continue to be struck by naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Hundreds of schools in Italy have been evacuated following emailed bomb threats, as similar messages spread to Scotland and Ireland. Police say the threats are not credible.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment