PORT SUDAN: More than 15 million children in Sudan are out of school due to the country's ongoing conflict, the National Council for Child Welfare said.
"We have more than 15 million children out of school, " said Abdul Qadir Abdullah Abu, the council's secretary-general, at a press conference in Port Sudan, the capital of Red Sea State, Xinhua news agency reported.
Abu accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of systematic violations against children, alleging that the "militia" has kidnapped over 2, 500 children. He added that nearly 3, 000 children have been killed during displacement, and the RSF has recruited over 8, 000 children to fight in its ranks.
Abu said that children are "the most vulnerable" group and need protection mechanisms.
On October 30, Save the Children reported that more than 2.8 million children under the age of five are facing dire humanitarian conditions as the conflict continues across Sudan. According to the report, children account for over half of the country's 11 million displaced people, with many living in camps, informal settlements, overcrowded schools, or public buildings.
Sudan has been embroiled in conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF since mid-April 2023. As of October 14, more than 24, 850 people have been killed, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, and the International Organisation for Migration estimated that over 14 million people had been displaced within or outside Sudan as of October 29.