At least 330 children killed, injured in Sudan in 1st half of 2026: UNICEF

At least 330 children were reported killed or injured in Sudan during the first six months of 2026, as fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) becomes "increasingly deadly" for children, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Monday.

"Children across Sudan continue to bear the brunt of a war that is becoming increasingly deadly," UNICEF said in a statement.

The agency said Darfur and Kordofan states continued to record the highest levels of child casualties.

"The situation in and around El-Obeid (the capital of North Kordofan), and more broadly across North Kordofan, is particularly alarming," it warned.

Since May, drone strikes and other attacks have killed at least 18 children and injured 17 others in the state.

"Children are being caught in a relentless cycle of violence, displacement and deprivation," said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF representative for Sudan.

"For many children, there is no safe place left," he added.

"They are being killed and injured in their homes, on the roads, in markets, and while attempting to access essential services such as education and healthcare. Children must never be a target. Their lives, rights and futures must be protected," Yett said.

UNICEF warned that the threat of attacks has deepened fear, anxiety and trauma among children, especially in communities facing repeated bombardment and displacement.

"The conflict continues to expose them to grave violations, including recruitment and use, abduction, sexual violence, and attacks on schools and hospitals."

UN officials have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe and human rights abuses in El-Obeid as the RSF continued its attacks on the city.

On Sunday, the International Organization for Migration warned that El-Obeid could face the same fate as El-Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur, where mass abuses were reported following the RSF takeover of the city in 2025.

Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the army and the RSF over plans to integrate the paramilitary force into the military. The war has triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, killing tens of thousands and displacing nearly 13 million.