According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), at least 190 children died and 1,700 were injured following the outbreak of hostilities between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April; that is, for every hour of conflict in an African country, a child is killed or injured.

However, UNICEF Director-General Katherine Russell said it was not possible to confirm an approximate death toll at this time. Despite a new truce announced this week, the Sudanese media have been reporting all this Friday sporadic fighting in the capital Khartoum, and its sister city Omdurman.

“We cannot confirm the estimates due to the intensity of the violence,” Russell said, before warning that the African country was “heading for disaster” and that children bear the brunt of this tragedy.

UNICEF condemned in this sense that Sudanese children are now ‘in the line of fire’ and reminds both parties to the conflict that they have an obligation to protect the lives of the civilian population, especially minors.

“This includes stopping all attacks on health centers, schools and hygiene and water infrastructure,” Russell added.

Reality is ‘much worse’

UNICEF spokesman James Elder reiterated at a press conference this Friday that the UN agency’s estimates are the most conservative since this balance only includes those children who were killed or injured near a health center that was able to register minors as patients. or deceased.