The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Monday said more than 300 children were killed or injured in Sudan over the past six months, warning that drone strikes accounted for the majority of the casualties amid the country’s escalating conflict.
UNICEF said the casualties occurred as fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to intensify across the country, particularly in Kordofan, Darfur and Blue Nile states. According to the agency, drone warfare is responsible for about 60 per cent of the recorded child casualties.
The agency warned that the conflict has exposed children to relentless violence, displacement and deprivation since the war began in April 2023.
UNICEF Representative in Sudan, Sheldon Yett, said children continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.
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“Children are being caught in a relentless cycle of violence, displacement and deprivation,” he said.
The UN, the United States and the United Kingdom have expressed concern over possible atrocities as government forces and the RSF battle for control of the strategic city of El-Obeid.
The conflict has claimed at least 59,000 lives, displaced about 13 million people and pushed several parts of Sudan into famine, with more than 30 million people now requiring humanitarian assistance.
UNICEF also said drone strikes and shelling have damaged schools, markets, fuel depots and water facilities, placing more than 500,000 civilians at risk while many communities continue to endure prolonged siege-like conditions.
The UN called on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, facilitate safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and take all necessary measures to safeguard children from harm.
