\n
<\/p>\n
Two children were\u00a0reportedly killed\u00a0and 13 others injured in a drone strike on a mosque in Al-Rahad, North Kordofan, where all the victims were students at the adjoining school. The attack came just hours after a primary school in Dilling, South Kordofan, was hit, with further injuries reported.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The warehouse of the UN\u00a0World Food\u202fProgramme\u202f(WFP)\u00a0in\u00a0the South Kordofan capital,\u00a0Kadugli,\u00a0also\u00a0was struck by suspected rockets, significantly damaging\u202fbuildings\u202fand mobile storage\u00a0units.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Recent days have also seen drone strikes reported in other parts of South Kordofan, North Kordofan and West Kordofan states, UN Spokesperson St\u00e9phane Dujarric\u00a0told journalists\u00a0in New York.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Strikes have occurred\u00a0close to key supply routes linking the city of El Obeid in North Kordofan to Dilling and Kadugli in South Kordofan, and this is endangering civilians, including humanitarian workers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that we have to reiterate almost every day that civilians and civilian infrastructure, places of worship, schools and hospitals cannot and should not be targeted is a tragedy into itself<\/strong>,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYet, we have to remind the parties of this almost every day and that they need to respect international humanitarian law.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the UN and partners continue their efforts to provide humanitarian\u00a0assistance\u00a0to\u00a0the Sudanese people.\u00a0<\/p>\n The war between the national army and former allies-turned-rivals the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)\u00a0\u2013 which\u00a0erupted in\u00a0April 2023\u00a0\u2013 has\u00a0sparked\u00a0the world\u2019s worst humanitarian crisis, with some 30 million people in need of\u00a0assistance.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr. Dujarric said a\u00a0multi-agency UN convoy made up of 41 trucks carrying\u202fnearly 800\u202fmetric\u202ftonnes\u202fof food and other essential supplies\u202fdeparted\u202fEl Obeid for Kadugli on Tuesday, marking a significant breakthrough along a previously closed route.\u00a0<\/p>\n In South Kordofan, humanitarians\u00a0have distributed\u202fnearly 600\u202fmetric\u202ftonnes\u202fof food to\u00a0nearly\u00a070,000\u00a0people, but the\u00a0continued arrival of families fleeing their homes is depleting what limited stocks are available.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n More than 115,000 people have been displaced across the Kordofan region since late October, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).\u00a0<\/p>\n The\u00a0UN\u00a0and\u00a0four\u00a0other\u00a0organizations working to\u00a0promote political dialogue\u00a0in Sudan\u00a0voiced grave concern at the continued escalation of the conflict\u00a0in a statement issued on Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Quintet \u2013\u00a0which\u00a0comprises\u00a0the African Union (AU), East African bloc IGAD, the League of Arab States (LAS),\u00a0the European Union (EU)\u00a0and the UN\u00a0\u2013\u00a0expressed\u00a0particular\u00a0alarm\u00a0over the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Kordofan region and Blue Nile state.\u00a0<\/p>\n The statement highlighted the urgent need for action, citing:\u00a0 The\u00a0Quintet\u00a0recalled the\u00a0horrors that occurred\u00a0in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur state, \u201cand\u00a0the repeated warnings issued ahead of those atrocities that went unheeded with devastating consequences for civilians\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n The city was under siege by the RSF for more than a year during which\u00a0crimes such as\u00a0rapes, executions, mass killings,\u00a0attacks on displacement\u00a0were committed.\u00a0<\/p>\nAid convoy breakthrough<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Diplomatic concern<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
\u2022 Deadly drone strikes and tightening sieges around population centres\u00a0
\u2022 Attacks on hospitals,\u00a0schools\u00a0and humanitarian assets\u00a0
\u2022 Widespread displacement and severe constraints on humanitarian access\u00a0
\u2022 Direct attacks on humanitarian aid convoys\u00a0<\/p>\nProtect civilians, allow aid access<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n