Ahmad 
The United Nations reported in a new report that children in Sudan are facing a catastrophic situation due to the ongoing armed conflict in the country between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, indicated that children’s lives are at stake, stressing the need to take urgent action to protect them.
Gamba’s statements came in conjunction with the publication of the UN Secretary-General’s report documenting violations against children in Sudan between January 2022 and December 2023.
According to the report, 2,168 grave violations were verified against 1,913 children, including cases of killing, maiming, forced recruitment and sexual assault.
The report indicated that these violations have witnessed a significant increase since the outbreak of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in April 2023.
Gamba expressed her “horror ” at the level of violence affecting children and the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, warning that the continuation of the conflict threatens to exacerbate the deteriorating humanitarian situation.
The report stressed that inter-tribal conflicts, especially in Darfur and Blue Nile, continue to cause violence against children, and the report included a call on the warring parties to immediately commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities and allow humanitarian access.
About 14 million children in Sudan need basic humanitarian assistance, while about 19 million children are at risk of dropping out of school due to the conflict.
The report also indicated that the termination of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) could negatively impact efforts to protect children and monitor violations.
Gamba stressed that the future of Sudan’s children depends on the commitment of the warring parties to protect civilians and provide a safe environment for children.
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