More than 300 children have been killed in Sudan over the past six months due to the ongoing war, with drone strikes accounting for the majority of these fatalities, according to a statement from the United Nations children's agency, UNICEF.
Sudan has been embroiled in a conflict between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023. The war is currently concentrated in the Kordofan, Darfur, and Blue Niles states.
UNICEF reported that drone warfare is responsible for 60% of child casualties in the conflict. The agency, along with the United Nations, the United States, and the United Kingdom, has voiced alarm over potential atrocities as both the RSF and the military vie for control of the strategically important city of el-Obeid in North Kordofan.
The broader conflict has resulted in at least 59,000 deaths, displaced approximately 13 million people, and pushed many regions of Sudan toward famine. Over 30 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.
Civilian infrastructure, including schools, markets, and essential services like fuel and water stations, has been targeted by drone strikes and shelling. These attacks have placed over 500,000 people in peril, with civilians experiencing conditions akin to sieges for more than a year.
"Children are being caught in a relentless cycle of violence, displacement and deprivation," said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative for Sudan. He urged the warring parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, ensure safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, and take all necessary measures to safeguard children from harm.