New York, July (Darfur24)
UNICEF said at least 23 children have been killed and 25 others injured in North Kordofan since fighting around El Obeid intensified in late May, warning that children continue to bear the brunt of Sudan’s war.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the UN agency said children are “paying the highest price” for the conflict, which has continued since April 2023.
UNICEF said reports indicate that at least four children—two boys and two girls aged between eight and 16—were killed last Friday in the Berber area south of El Obeid. The incident brought the number of children killed or injured in July alone to at least eight.
The agency also reported that at least 330 children were killed or injured across Sudan during the first six months of 2026, while warning that the actual toll is likely to be higher because of limited access to conflict-affected areas and gaps in documentation.
“Four more children have lost their lives in a conflict that continues to put children and their families at grave risk,” UNICEF Representative in Sudan Sheldon Yett said.
“Behind every number is a child whose life has been cut short, and a family whose future has been changed forever. Children continue to be victims of this conflict, and their safety, rights, and the services they depend on must be protected.”
UNICEF warned that continued violence, repeated displacement, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure are placing children’s lives, safety, and future at increasing risk.
The agency called on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians, especially children, and to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law.
The United Nations has repeatedly warned that children account for a significant proportion of the victims of Sudan’s conflict and has called for an end to attacks on civilian areas and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance, healthcare, education, and child protection services.