Local security conflict

THE killing of at least eight students, four of them children, during a drone attack on a secondary school has highlighted the continued brutality faced by children during the war in Sudan.The incident occurred this week in Shukairi village in White Nile State.In a related attack, a health worker was also killed at a primary healthcare centre in the same area.Many more individuals were injured and schools in the locality have been closed as a result.“This reported attack is an outrageous violation of children’s right to safety and protection,” said Sheldon Yett, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Sudan.“It is a heartbreaking reminder of the brutal impact of this conflict on children. Schools must always be safe spaces where children can learn, grow and hope. They must never be attacked.”Since the conflict broke out in mid-April 2023, there have been reports of at least 200 attacks on schools and hospitals, depriving countless children of safe places to learn and access essential healthcare across Sudan.UNICEF emphasised that schools and hospitals are civilian objects protected under international humanitarian law and must remain places of safety.All parties to the conflict are therefore urged to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, protect civilians, including children, and ensure homes, schools, healthcare facilities, water and sanitation infrastructure, and essential services are never targeted.The war in Sudan has created one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world today.