According to the U.N. children’s agency, more than 300 children have been killed or injured during the past six months of the ongoing war in Sudan. UNICEF reports that the majority of these casualties are the result of drone strikes. The conflict, which has seen the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) engaged in fighting since April 2023, is currently concentrated in the Kordofan, Darfur, and Blue Nile states. UNICEF notes that drone warfare is responsible for 60% of these casualties.
The broader humanitarian crisis in Sudan has resulted in at least 59,000 deaths and displaced approximately 13 million people. Large portions of the country are currently facing famine, with over 30 million individuals in need of humanitarian assistance. Civilian infrastructure, including schools, markets, and water and fuel stations, has been targeted by shelling and drone strikes, placing more than 500,000 people at significant risk. In some regions, civilians have endured conditions akin to a siege for over a year.
Sheldon Yett, the UNICEF representative for Sudan, stated that children are currently caught in a relentless cycle of violence, displacement, and deprivation. In response to the escalating violence, particularly around the strategic city of el-Obeid in North Kordofan, the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council in Geneva approved a measure on Monday. Brought forward by five European countries and passed without a vote, the measure condemns the violence committed by the RSF and its allies.
The council’s resolution also condemns all forms of external interference in the conflict and advocates for increased support for nations hosting Sudanese refugees. The U.N. has issued a call for all parties involved in the war to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, ensure safe and rapid humanitarian access, and implement all necessary measures to prevent harm to children.
