UN agency says over 300 children killed or injured in Sudan conflict in first half of 2026
UNICEF reported that more than 300 children have been killed or wounded in Sudan since January, with drone attacks responsible for the majority of casualties.
UNICEF said more than 300 children have been killed or injured in Sudan during the first six months of 2026, most of them as a result of drone strikes. The conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2023, is now concentrated in the Kordofan, Darfur and Blue Nile regions. UNICEF estimates that drones account for about 60% of child casualties.
The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva approved a resolution condemning the escalation of violence around the strategic city of el-Obeid and urging greater support for nations hosting Sudanese refugees. The measure also denounced external interference in the war.
Since the fighting intensified, at least 59,000 people have been killed, roughly 13 million displaced and large parts of the country face famine. Over 30 million Sudanese need humanitarian aid, and more than 500,000 are at risk from attacks on schools, markets, fuel and water facilities.
"Children are being caught in a relentless cycle of violence, displacement and deprivation," said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF’s representative for Sudan.
The UN called on all parties to protect civilians and infrastructure, to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and to take all possible measures to safeguard children.
In a separate incident, a collapse at a defunct gold mine in Wadi Halfa district killed at least 15 informal miners and injured another. The state-run Sudanese Mineral Resources Company reported that miners had resumed work at the Mohamed Taqfiq mine after it was previously closed for safety reasons. Artisanal gold mining, which dominates Sudan’s production, often lacks safety standards, leading to frequent mine collapses.
