UNICEF: More Than 300 Children Killed in Sudan During Six Months of Escalating Conflict

UNICEF: More Than 300 Children Killed in Sudan During Six Months of Escalating Conflict
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The United Nations Children’s Fund has announced that more than 300 children have been killed in Sudan over the past six months, warning of growing dangers facing children as the war continues and drone attacks increase.

In a statement issued on Monday, UNICEF said the conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which has continued since April 2023, is still claiming civilian lives. The organization noted that around 60 percent of recent casualties were caused by drone attacks.

UNICEF said fighting is currently concentrated in Kordofan, Darfur, and Blue Nile states, amid growing fears of a worsening humanitarian crisis, especially as battles intensify for control of the strategic city of El-Obeid in North Kordofan.

The United Nations, along with the United States and the United Kingdom, has expressed concern over the possibility of serious violations against civilians as military confrontations continue in the area.

UNICEF Representative in Sudan Sheldon Yett said children are facing a “constant cycle of violence, displacement, and deprivation,” stressing that the conflict is denying them their most basic rights to safety, education, and healthcare.

According to UNICEF, the conflict has so far killed at least 59,000 people and displaced around 13 million others. The effects of the war have pushed large parts of the country to the brink of famine, while more than 30 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.