Violence Escalates in Sudan: Drone Strikes Kill 33 Children as RSF Advances in Kordofan
December 7, 2025
A separate tally from the Kalogi administrator cites 79 dead, including 43 children, per the Sudanese foreign ministry.
Since 2023, the Sudan conflict has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced about 12 million, contributing to what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
RSF and the Sudanese military have vied for control since 2023, with reports of atrocities in el-Fasher and renewed focus on Kordofan and surrounding areas.
A drone attack by Sudanese paramilitary forces hit Kalogi’s kindergarten, killing 50 people including 33 children, with reports citing the Sudan Doctors’ Network.
The December 4 drone strike in Kalogi targeted a kindergarten, then a hospital, and later those aiding the children, resulting in extensive civilian casualties.
The incident underscores ongoing hostilities in Sudan and contested control of South Kordofan, with multiple armed groups implicated.
Amid escalating Sudanese violence, RSF advances into oil-rich Kordofan follow El-Fasher’s fall, fueling mass displacement with over 40,000 people fleeing in the last month, per the UN.
Civilians have been slain or wounded as fighting continues between the RSF and the Sudanese military in Kordofan, a region of strategic importance due to its oil resources.
UNICEF says more than ten children aged 5 to 7 were killed, while Sudan’s foreign ministry, aligned with the army, puts total deaths at 79 including 43 children; independent verification is hampered by access and security constraints.
The report notes it will be updated as new information becomes available, with sources including DIE ZEIT, AFP, and AP.
The attack hit a kindergarten and a hospital and targeted those moving children to safety, with casualties rising beyond earlier estimates.
Communication blackouts complicate casualty reporting, as the region experiences broader violence including strikes in Kauda and el-Fasher; WHO and aid groups say thousands have been killed or displaced.
Kalogi, in South Kordofan, is under army control; local authorities blamed RSF and SPLM-N-aligned groups for the assault.
UNICEF spokesperson Sheldon Yett condemned the killings of children and urged all parties to stop attacks and allow humanitarian access.
Emergency responders came under attack in what is described as a second unexpected strike on medics treating survivors, with a third civilian site near the previous two also targeted by Emergency Lawyers.
Analysts see the RSF push as an effort to break the army’s defensive arc around central Sudan and set conditions to retake major cities, including Khartoum.
Local authorities attribute the strikes to the RSF and its ally, the SPLM-North led by Abdelaziz Al-Hilu, with the army in conflict since April 2023.
Independent casualty verification remains difficult due to access and security restrictions, while UNICEF calls for protection of children and unhindered humanitarian access.
Early casualty figures varied—from UNICEF reporting over ten child deaths to later medical estimates of at least 50 deaths, including 33 children.
Summary based on 3 sources