September 12, Nairobi — On Wednesday, the UNICEF Representative in Sudan, Sheldon Yate, announced that at least 30 children had been killed or injured a in shelling of Sennar city in central Sudan.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shelled Sennar, which is under the control of the Sudanese army, with artillery over the past two days, killing and injuring dozens of civilians. The death toll has now risen to 40.
“The wave of atrocities unleashed upon the children in Sudan must stop,” Yate said.
In the statement, Yate said that in 2023, Sudan witnessed the highest number of grave violations against children in more than a decade, with an estimated 72 per cent of violations involving the killing and maiming of children, followed by the recruitment and use of children by armed groups and sexual violence.
“Girls have borne a particularly heavy burden, facing horrific risks to their safety, including rape and other forms of sexual violence,” the statement said.