A drone strike by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) hit a kindergarten in south-central Sudan on Thursday, killing 50 people, including 33 children, according to the Sudan Doctors’ Network.
The attack is one of the deadliest against civilians since the conflict began more than two years ago.
Paramedics responding to the scene in Kalogi, South Kordofan, were reportedly targeted in a second unexpected strike. A third civilian site nearby was also hit, the rights group Emergency Lawyers said, blaming the RSF for the attacks and calling them “a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, especially children, and vital civilian infrastructure.”
Authorities warned the death toll could rise further due to communication blackouts, which have hampered casualty assessments.
Thursday’s attack comes amid intensified fighting between the RSF and the Sudanese military in the oil-rich Kordofan states. Hundreds of civilians have been killed in recent weeks as clashes escalated following the RSF’s seizure of the besieged city of el-Fasher. Reports indicate widespread abuses in el-Fasher, including executions, sexual violence, and forced displacement, leaving thousands fleeing or trapped.
UNICEF Representative for Sudan, Sheldon Yett, condemned the attack, describing the killing of children in their school as “a horrific violation of children’s rights.”
The ongoing conflict between the RSF and Sudanese military, which erupted in 2023, has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced 12 million, according to the World Health Organization. Aid groups suggest the actual figures may be significantly higher.
Source: Saudi Gazette