Hundreds of Sudanese Children Hurt as Conflict Intensifies

According to UNICEF, at least 330 children were killed or injured across Sudan between January and June 2026, with Darfur and Kordofan recording the highest number of child casualties.

Children in Sudan are paying an increasingly devastating price as violence continues to spread across the country, with hundreds killed or injured during the first half of 2026. UNICEF warns that worsening attacks, particularly in North Kordofan and Darfur, are placing young lives at even greater risk while damaging essential services that families rely on to survive.

Rising attacks leave children facing growing danger

According to UNICEF, at least 330 children were killed or injured across Sudan between January and June 2026, with Darfur and Kordofan recording the highest number of child casualties. The situation has become especially severe in and around Al Obeid in North Kordofan, where violence has escalated sharply since May. Reports indicate that more than 35 children have been killed or injured in drone strikes and other attacks, including at least 18 deaths and more than 17 injuries. The victims ranged in age from just two months old to 17 years, illustrating how children of every age are being affected by the conflict.

UNICEF said drone attacks were responsible for around 60 per cent of these reported child casualties, raising serious concerns about the increasing use of this form of warfare in populated civilian areas.

Civilian infrastructure under relentless pressure

Beyond the tragic loss of young lives, repeated drone strikes and shelling have caused extensive damage to homes, schools, hospitals, water systems, and local markets. The destruction has disrupted supply routes and placed additional strain on already fragile public services, making it even harder for families to access healthcare, education, food, and clean water.

UNICEF estimates that around 500,000 civilians living in and around Al Obeid and across North Kordofan remain at risk if fighting continues to intensify. Children living in these communities face the constant threat of injury, displacement, and separation from their families while essential services continue to deteriorate.

UNICEF Representative for Sudan Sheldon Yett said children are trapped in an ongoing cycle of violence, displacement, and deprivation. He stressed that many no longer have a safe place to shelter, with attacks occurring in homes, on roads, in markets, and even while families try to reach schools or healthcare facilities.

UNICEF calls for urgent protection of children

The prolonged conflict is also leaving deep psychological scars on children who have experienced repeated attacks, displacement, and the loss of loved ones. Alongside the immediate dangers of violence, UNICEF warns that children remain exposed to serious protection risks, including recruitment by armed groups, abduction, sexual violence, and attacks on schools and healthcare facilities.

The agency is urging all parties involved in the conflict to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, respect international humanitarian law, and ensure humanitarian organisations can safely deliver aid to communities in need.

UNICEF also called for every possible measure to be taken to shield children from further harm, stressing that their safety, rights, and future must remain a priority as the humanitarian crisis continues to deepen across Sudan.