A deadly wave of paramilitary drone strikes on the army-controlled town of Kalogi in South Kordofan has killed more than 79 people, including dozens of children.
The spokesperson for Sudan Doctors Network, Dr Mohammed Faisal Hassan, said the victims died after three separate drone hits on Thursday targeting a kindergarten, a hospital, and then civilians rushing to rescue wounded children.
Local administrator Essam al-Din al-Sayed, speaking to AFP via satellite connection, blamed the attacks on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied SPLM-N (al-Hilu) fighters who control much of the region.
UNICEF confirmed that more than 10 children aged 5–7 were among the dead. “Killing children in their school is a horrific violation of children’s rights,” said UNICEF’s Sudan Representative, Sheldon Yett, calling for an immediate halt to attacks and unfettered humanitarian access.
The strike comes amid surging violence in Kordofan, where the RSF has been advancing eastward after capturing El-Fasher in late October. The UN says at least 269 civilians have been killed across Kordofan since the offensive began, while more than 40,000 people have fled in the past month.
UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk warned of “another wave of atrocities” as clashes intensify between the army and RSF, who have traded accusations over a series of drone attacks across Sudan, including near the Chad border.
Sudan’s civil war, which began in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 12 million, with communication blackouts and insecurity making independent verification increasingly difficult.
