The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced that it had received reports that 17 children were killed in an attack on a center for displaced persons in Al Fasher, North Darfur, western Sudan.
UNICEF said in a statement that the attack occurred at a facility housing families displaced by the ongoing conflict in the region.
“This devastating attack on children and families who were already displaced and seeking safety is an outrage,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Killing and injuring children are grave violations of their rights, and attacks on civilians in places meant to offer safety and refuge are unconscionable.”
Al Fasher has been under siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for more than 500 days, with severe restrictions on movement, access to food, water, and medical care, UNICEF reported.
Civilians, including large numbers of children, have faced repeated shelling and deteriorating living conditions.
Several areas in North Darfur have been experiencing famine for months, and the food security and child nutrition situation in the state has reached catastrophic levels. Families are surviving on minimal rations, and severe acute malnutrition among children is rising sharply.
The organization said that health facilities are reporting an increase in preventable child deaths linked to hunger and disease.
UNICEF reiterated its call for an immediate cessation of hostilities across Sudan, including in Al Fasher, the lifting of the siege, respect for international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, the provision of safe passage for civilians, including children and families fleeing violence, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to affected populations, and the holding accountable those responsible for attacks on civilians, including children.
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