EL OBEID – A drone strike on a displacement shelter in El Obeid, North Kordofan, reportedly killed one boy and injured 12 other children, UNICEF said, warning of the growing impact of drone attacks on children in Sudan.
The strike hit the Al Mina Al Bari shelter for internally displaced people late on Sept. 30, according to UNICEF. The wounded included five boys and seven girls.
UNICEF Representative in Sudan Angela Kearney said families at the shelter had already been forced from their homes, with many displaced several times during the war.
She said displacement sites were meant to provide safety for children and families but warned that attacks on places where civilians seek protection must stop.
UNICEF said the incident was the latest in a growing number of drone attacks affecting children across Sudan.
Between January and September 2026, more than 400 children were reportedly killed or injured, with drone strikes accounting for a significant share of the casualties, according to the agency.
Drone attacks have also damaged homes and civilian infrastructure, including schools, health facilities, water systems and markets, disrupting essential services for communities already affected by the conflict.
UNICEF said many families living in displacement sites had fled multiple times as fighting and insecurity spread into new areas, leaving them with limited access to basic services, protection and humanitarian support.
The agency called on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure and comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law.
UNICEF did not identify the party responsible for the strike.
