Sudan : UNICEF condemns the killing of children in El Fasher and calls for calm

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Yesterday, Tuesday, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) denounced the killing of at least 6 children and the injury of others in the city of El Fasher, North Darfur State, in Sudan, since June 7.

The organization explained, in a statement, that it “received horrific reports indicating that at least 6 children were killed and many injured in the city of El Fasher since June 7,” noting that “thousands of children, including those living in large displacement camps, have become trapped in the middle of "Increasing fighting and unable to reach safety."

UNICEF urged all parties to the conflict to "immediately de-escalate the situation, allow the safe and voluntary movement of civilians, and ensure their protection, including children, women and civilian objects."

Despite international warnings of battles in the city, which is the center of humanitarian operations for all Darfur states, El Fasher has witnessed fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since May 10.

El Fasher is the center of the Darfur region, which consists of 5 states. It is the largest city and the only one among the capitals of the other states of the region that was not controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support.

Earlier, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, launched a campaign calling for the provision of any information confirming reports of crimes committed in the Darfur region and the city of El Fasher, western Sudan.

Khan said in a video speech published by the court on the X platform: “I issued an emergency call for information and cooperation from partners wherever they are to address the worsening crisis in Darfur, Sudan.”

He continued: "We call on all victims' groups, civil society organizations, national parties, and capable international partners to provide us with any materials related to the ongoing atrocities against civilians in Darfur."

He announced that the court is leading an investigation related to this case based on an assessment sent to his office by the United Nations Security Council, expressing concerns that civilians in El Fasher are being killed because of the color of their skin and ethnicity.

Since mid-April 2023, the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary “Rapid Support” led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo (Hemedti), have been waging a war that has left about 15,000 dead and about 8.5 million displaced and refugees, according to the United Nations.

UN and international calls have increased to spare Sudan a humanitarian catastrophe that could push millions to famine and death, as a result of food shortages due to the fighting that has spread to 12 out of 18 states in the country.