The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a strong condemnation following a series of violent attacks in Sudan’s Kordofan region that left at least 35 children and two pregnant women dead.
The attacks, which unfolded over the weekend, targeted civilian populations around the city of Bara, including the villages of Shag Alnom and Hilat Hamid. According to initial reports, among the victims were 24 boys, 11 girls, and two expectant mothers. Dozens more were injured, and several remain missing, raising concerns that the death toll—particularly among children—may continue to rise.
“These attacks are an outrage,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in a statement issued Tuesday. “They represent a terrifying escalation of violence and a complete disregard for human life, international humanitarian law, and the most basic principles of humanity.”
The violence is part of the ongoing power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), former allies now embroiled in a bitter civil conflict that has engulfed the Kordofan region since April 2023.
UNICEF emphasized that such acts of violence violate the principles of international law, particularly the rules of distinction, proportionality, and precaution that are designed to protect civilians in armed conflict.
“Civilians, especially children, must never be targeted,” Russell stressed. “Impunity cannot be tolerated for violations of international law, especially when children’s lives are at stake.”
Russell extended condolences to the families of the victims, underscoring that no child should ever have to face such horrors. “Violence against children is unconscionable and must end now,” she stated.
The humanitarian crisis in Sudan continues to deepen, with international organizations calling for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded access to affected regions.
