The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced that at least 345 children have been killed and 2025 others injured during a hundred days of conflict in Sudan.

The organization noted, in a report released today, Monday, that it had received reports of 2500 serious violations of children's rights, at a rate of at least one every hour, and it is believed that the actual number is much higher. It added that nearly 14 million children are in need of humanitarian support in Sudan.

The organization confirmed that it has received alarming reports of increased attacks on health facilities in parts of Sudan, noting that an estimated 68% of hospitals in the most affected areas have had to suspend services, while at least 17 hospitals have been bombed, and many other hospitals have been turned into military bases.

It continued that nearly 3.8 million people have been displaced internally in Sudan, including 1.9 million children, and an additional 1.7 million children have been forced from their homes. They are now moving within Sudan and crossing its borders, at risk of hunger, disease, violence, and separation from their families, while reports of abductions, child recruitment into armed groups, ethnically targeted violence, and gender-based violence against women and girls are increasing. It pointed out that nearly 4.2 million women and girls are at risk of gender-based violence.

It noted that movement remains restricted due to the security situation, administrative barriers, bureaucratic obstacles, and the prevention of humanitarian aid access. It added that these obstacles have led to at least 690,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and 1.7 million children under the age of one are at risk of losing critical vaccinations, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.

For his part, UNICEF's Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations, Ted Chaiban, stated that the scale of the impact this conflict has had on children in Sudan during the past hundred days is almost beyond comprehension, as they are killed, injured, abducted, and witness schools, hospitals, crucial infrastructure, and life-saving supplies they depend on being damaged, destroyed, or looted.

He added that the past hundred days of conflict in Sudan have shown that the direct and indirect effects on children and families are devastating, and that without concerted action, including a commitment from the parties to the conflict to cease fighting and support for international law, serious violations of children's rights will worsen.

He warned that without guaranteed, safe, and unhindered access for humanitarian workers and life-saving supplies, along with urgently needed additional funding, the future of millions of children in Sudan will remain in the balance, especially as UNICEF's appeal for a response funding of $838 million has only been funded at 9% as of mid-July.