Drone Strike on South Kordofan Kindergarten Kills 50, Including 33 Children, Doctors Say

A drone strike struck a kindergarten in the town of Kalogi, South Kordofan, killing 50 people, including 33 children, the Sudan Doctors' Network said. The group said the initial strike was followed by a second attack that targeted paramedics who had rushed to help survivors.

Rights group Emergency Lawyers, which monitors violence against civilians in Sudan, said a second strike hit medics treating wounded people in Kalogi and that "a third civilian site near the previous two" was also attacked. The group blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the strikes, calling them "a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, especially children, and vital civilian infrastructure."

Communications blackouts in the area have hampered reporting and verification, and officials warned the death toll could rise as more information becomes available.

Reactions and Condemnation

“Killing children in their school is a horrific violation of children’s rights,” said UNICEF Representative for Sudan Sheldon Yett. “Children should never pay the price of conflict.”

Yett urged all parties to stop attacks immediately and to allow safe, unhindered access for humanitarian assistance to reach those in need.

The RSF separately condemned a drone strike on the Chad–Sudan border on Friday, accusing the Sudanese military and publishing video of heavy smoke; that claim could not be independently verified and it was unclear whether there were casualties. There was no immediate comment from the Sudanese military about the Kalogi strikes.

Wider Context

Thursday’s attack is the latest episode in more than two years of intense fighting between the RSF and the Sudanese military. The conflict, which began in 2023, has concentrated in the oil-rich Kordofan states in recent months after intensified clashes shifted from Darfur. Humanitarian and rights groups report widespread atrocities in cities such as el-Fasher following the RSF’s takeover, including executions and sexual violence.

Recent strikes by the Sudanese military reportedly killed at least 48 people, mostly civilians, in Kauda, South Kordofan. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned that Kordofan faces the risk of further mass atrocities. The World Health Organization estimates more than 40,000 people have been killed and 12 million displaced since the war began, though aid agencies say the true toll could be significantly higher.

Investigation and independent verification remain difficult due to ongoing fighting, restricted access and communications outages. International agencies and rights groups continue to call for protection of civilians and unimpeded humanitarian access.