At Least 12 Children Reportedly Killed in Attacks in Sudan, UNICEF Reports

At least 12 children were reportedly killed in two separate attacks in Sudan's West Kordofan and Khartoum states between 17 October and 19 October, according to a statement released by UNICEF on 20 October 2026.

The first incident occurred on Saturday, 17 October, when an attack on a camp for displaced families east of Sanakit, in West Kordofan State, resulted in the deaths of at least nine children. UNICEF reported that the victims were five boys and four girls between the ages of five and ten.

Two days later, on Monday, 19 October, an armed drone struck a residential area in Khartoum. The strike reportedly killed three children—two girls and one boy aged between two and six—along with their father.

"In West Kordofan, children were killed in a camp their families had fled to for safety. In Khartoum, three young children were reportedly killed with their father in their own neighbourhood, in a city where many families have returned to rebuild their lives," said Angela Kearney, UNICEF Acting Representative in Sudan.

UNICEF noted that children across Sudan continue to face deadly violence amid more than three years of conflict. The agency called on all parties involved in the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

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