Fatal assault on preschool reported in Sudan

A drone strike in Kalogi, located in Sudan's South Kordofan region, reportedly targeted a kindergarten, resulting in the deaths of at least 50 individuals, including 33 children. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group engaged in a civil war with Sudan's army, has been blamed for the attack by both the Sudan Doctors' Network and the national army. The RSF has not issued any statement regarding the incident.

In retaliation, the RSF alleged that the army carried out a drone strike on Friday in Darfur, hitting a market and a fuel depot at the Adre border crossing with Chad.

Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, following a power struggle between the RSF and the army, which were previously allies. Independent verification of these attacks is not yet available.

The army-aligned foreign ministry stated that the kindergarten in Kalogi was struck twice by drone-fired missiles, and that civilians and medical personnel who arrived to assist the victims were also targeted.

A UN childrens agency spokesman condemned the attack, calling it a "horrific violation of children's rights" and emphasizing that "children should never pay the price of conflict." The agency urged all parties to cease attacks immediately and allow unhindered humanitarian aid to reach those in urgent need.

The RSF claimed that the army targeted the Adre crossing because it was being used for the delivery of humanitarian and commercial supplies. According to the Sudan War Monitor, the strike caused civilian casualties and substantial damage to the market, though the army has not commented on the Darfur reports.

Located between Khartoum and Darfur, the Kordofan regioncomprising North, South, and West Kordofanhas become a central battlefield in the ongoing civil war. Fighting has escalated as army forces advance toward Darfur, with nearly eight million people living in the Kordofans.

Author: Zoe Harrison