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At least 11 children have been killed in a drone attack on a mosque near the Abu Shouk camp for internally displaced people in Al Fasher, North Darfur. The attack, which took place during Fajr prayers three days ago, also struck nearby homes and left many more children injured, according to UNICEF.
Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s Executive Director, condemned the assault as “shocking and unconscionable”, describing the devastation it has caused for families who have already endured months of violence. The children killed were between the ages of 6 and 15.
For more than 500 days, Al Fasher has been under siege by the Rapid Support Forces. Children in the area are trapped by continuous violence, cut off from food, clean water and healthcare, and forced to witness extreme brutality. The recent attack, Russell said, has shattered any remaining sense of safety for children who have lived under constant fear.
The violence has not spared humanitarian operations. Just yesterday, a UNICEF-supported water tanker was struck by a drone while delivering clean water to 8,500 displaced people and hospital patients, including those at Al Saudi hospital, one of the few health facilities still functioning in the city. It was the third UNICEF-supported truck targeted in the last three months. Such attacks have endangered both humanitarian staff and lifesaving supplies.
With Al Fasher under siege, displaced families and hospitals are now almost entirely reliant on water trucking. The destruction of these services risks forcing families to turn to unsafe water sources, increasing the likelihood of waterborne diseases at a time when child malnutrition is already surging.
Russell denounced the targeting of children, homes, schools and places of worship, which are protected under international humanitarian law. “It is outrageous that children continue to be killed, maimed, and traumatised in a conflict they did not start and cannot control,” she said.
She called on all parties to end the attacks, respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and protect children at all times. She also urged for a prompt and thorough investigation into the atrocities, stressing that those responsible must be held accountable.
“Every child has the right to safety. UNICEF stands with the children of Al Fasher and Sudan. We will not relent in demanding their protection and amplifying their voices until the violence ends,” Russell declared.
The attack on the mosque in North Darfur is a stark reminder of the devastating toll of war on children. As the conflict continues, humanitarian agencies warn that without urgent protection and unfettered access to basic services, the cost will be borne most heavily by Sudan’s youngest and most vulnerable.