23 children killed in North Kordofan since May, UNICEF says

July 28, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – At least 23 children have been killed and 25 others injured in Sudan’s North Kordofan state over the past two months as fighting intensified around the state capital of Al Obeid, the United Nations Children’s Fund said on Tuesday.

The latest incident occurred on July 24 in the Burbur area south of Al Obeid, where shelling reportedly killed four children aged between eight and 16, UNICEF stated. This brought the number of child casualties reported in July alone to at least eight.

Violence has steadily escalated in the region since late May, when at least 10 children were killed or injured, followed by another 30 casualties in June, including an infant just two months old.

“Four more children have lost their lives in a conflict that continues to put children and their families in grave danger,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative for Sudan. He added that behind every number is a child whose life has been cut short and a family altered forever.

Across Sudan, children continue to bear the brunt of more than three years of conflict, with at least 330 children reported killed or injured nationwide in the first six months of the year.

UNICEF urged all warring parties to protect civilians and critical infrastructure, demanding full compliance with international humanitarian law to spare schools, health facilities, and water systems from the effects of hostilities.