Over 3,000 children killed by RSF in Sudan conflict – government body

September 29, 2024 (PORT SUDAN) – More than 3,000 children have been killed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since fighting began in Sudan in April, the country’s National Council for Child Welfare said on Sunday.

The government body also said over 5,000 children had been sexually assaulted, including 700 girls and 100 boys raped since July.

“The RSF killed more than 3,000 children, in addition to using some of them in combat operations,” Secretary General Abdulqader Abdallah told Sudan Tribune, citing reports from several states.

He said 57 girls who were raped had given birth in Khartoum under the supervision of the state’s Ministry of Social Development. “We are in the process of receiving these children and distributing them to foster families,” Abdallah said.

“We believe that family life is the best for children so that they do not become educationally deprived… as happened in a number of states where there are children outside parental care fighting forcibly with the RSF,” he added.

Abdallah said children who have been assaulted were suffering from emotional distress, particularly as the attacks often took place in front of their families.

He also said 10 million children were suffering from malnutrition due to the lack of livelihoods among families facing pressure on monthly salaries.

Children in Sudan face increasing risks as a result of the ongoing war, which began on April 15, with escalating waves of displacement.