The United Nations (UN) and UNICEF have strongly condemned the deliberate targeting of civilians in North Darfur, following a brutal attack that killed at least 17 children, including a seven-day-old infant, at the Dar al-Arqam Displacement Centre in El Fasher on Saturday 11th, October, 2025.
In a statement released on the 12th October, 2025, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Denise Brown condemned the repeated attacks on civilians, particularly children seeking safety, calling for accountability and urgent impartial investigations.
“The repeated and intentional targeting of civilians, particularly children seeking safety, is utterly unacceptable,” Brown stated.
“Hospitals, shelters, and other places of refuge must always be protected. Those responsible must be held accountable, and impartial investigations must be conducted without delay,” she added.
Reports indicate that the assault, carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been fighting the Sudanese army since April 2023, killed up to 60 people in total and injured dozens more, including 21 children.
The Dar al-Arqam Displacement Center was sheltering families displaced by the ongoing conflict, making the attack particularly devastating.
UNICEF described the assault as a grave violation of children’s rights.
The UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell condemned the attack on displaced children and families, calling it a shocking violation of their safety and protection.
This brutal assault on children and displaced families is intolerable. Places of protection must remain safe for those who seek refuge,” Russell emphasized.
El Fasher and other parts of North Darfur in Sudan have been under siege by the RSF for more than 500 days, with severe restrictions on movement, food, water, and medical care.
Civilians, particularly children, have been repeatedly targeted and continue to endure worsening living conditions.”
The humanitarian crisis in the region has reached catastrophic levels. Several areas are experiencing famine, and severe acute malnutrition among children is rising sharply.
Health facilities report increasing preventable deaths linked to hunger and disease. Aid convoys are frequently looted, supply routes disrupted, and humanitarian access denied, making relief efforts extremely difficult.
In response to the attack, UNICEF and UN officials have repeated urgent calls for an immediate ceasefire in North Darfur, safe passage for civilians fleeing violence, unrestricted humanitarian access to affected populations, and accountability for those responsible for attacks on civilians.
The international community has been urged to respond swiftly to protect children and civilians in the region from further atrocities.
