The UN children’s agency reported that, on average, one Sudanese child has been either killed or wounded every hour during the 100-day duration of the country’s brutal conflict.
Since April 15, the army led by Abdel Fattah al Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo have been embroiled in a fierce battle.
UNICEF has documented “2,500 severe violations of children’s rights — an average of at least one an hour” since the commencement of the fighting, according to their statement.
The agency reported that a minimum of 435 children had lost their lives, and 2,025 were injured.
According to the agency, an additional 14 million children are in dire need of humanitarian support.
A conservative estimate showed the conflict in Sudan has resulted in the loss of at least 3,900 lives across all age groups.
Over 3.3 million people have been displaced from their homes, with 700,000 seeking refuge in foreign countries. Additionally, the conflict has pushed millions into hunger.
More than half of Sudan’s 48 million population relies on humanitarian aid for survival. However, the UN and aid groups are facing challenges in providing assistance due to difficulties in obtaining permits from the authorities and a lack of funding from international donors.
The situation is anticipated to deteriorate further during the rainy season, as it increases the likelihood of floods, famine, and the spread of diseases, such as malaria and cholera.
Sudan Army Threatens Kenya
Sudan’s ongoing war has raised concerns about its potential to destabilize the broader region.
On Sunday, one of the top army commanders, Yasser Atta, threatened Kenya for a proposal to consider deploying African peacekeepers to Sudan.
“Let Kenya send its army and the armies of the countries that support it, along with all other mercenaries. None of their men will return,” he said.
The capital city of Khartoum has witnessed some of the most intense fighting, with the army resorting to air strikes in residential neighborhoods to attack RSF forces.
The army has made efforts to disrupt the supply routes to the RSF forces from the southern region of Darfur, which is a significant stronghold for the group.
The army closed the highway linking Khartoum to Darfur on Monday, saying “it is used by rebels to transport looted goods to civilians and to bring mercenaries to Sudan.”
“Any vehicle using that route will be a military target,” the army added.
The conflict has become more complex as various rebel groups from within the country pledged allegiance to the RSF and have become involved in the fighting.