The last quarter of 2024 saw more violence in Sudan than at any time since the conflict began nearly two years ago, Save the Children said, with significant violent attacks against children and other civilians continuing into 2025.
Save the Children analysed instances of violence in Sudan recorded by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) between 15 April 2023 and 31 January 2025 [1] and found over 700 violent events targeting civilians in the last three months of 2024 – much higher than any other quarter in the conflict.
There were 199 incidents of violence in December, 217 in November and 288 in October – including airstrikes, drone attacks, artillery shelling, armed clashes, child kidnappings, killings and sexual violence – which represent an upward trend from previous months, in a conflict that has been marked by extreme brutality, hunger and displacement.
In addition, so far this year, ACLED has recorded 208 events targeting civilians – an increase of 78% from January 2024 – many of them with devastating consequences for children. These include the killing of a high school student on 5 January, and a father shot dead in front of his children on 8 January.
Meanwhile in El Fasher, the end of January was marked by horrific violence, including an attack on Abu Shouk camp that killed at least seven people and injured 11 more, and an attack on the El Fasher Saudi Teaching Hospital in North Darfur which killed about 70 people including children and injured many others.
In January, the UN said that the spike in violence had led to “shocking levels” of grave violations against children, including recruitment into armed groups, sexual violence, abduction, and attacks on schools and hospitals.
The majority of recent incidents have been reported in the state of Al Jazirah and North Darfur where more than 1.4 million people have been displaced, including over 760,500 children, since the war started. Both states saw a sharp uptick in violence in the last three months of last year, with high levels of violence targeting civilians continuing in the past two weeks, with women and children particularly hit hard.
Now in its 21st month, the conflict in Sudan has displaced nearly 12 million people, the highest number of internally displaced people anywhere on earth, according to latest data from UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM). Children are also facing severe hunger, with famine conditions confirmed in at least five areas.
Mohamed Abdiladif, Country Director for Save the Children in Sudan, said:
“We are concerned that violence has been on an upward trajectory with no end in sight. This year, children and their families, especially those sheltering in North Darfur and Khartoum, have endured indiscriminate shelling and bombing with devastating consequences.
“The impunity with which attacks on civilians and their infrastructure is happening across Sudan, including targeted assaults on hospitals, markets and water facilities, undermines international law.
“Save the Children is calling on all parties to this conflict to respect civilian protection under international law, avoid placement of military objectives near civilian areas and to ensure the removal of civilians from active conflict zones.”
Save the Children has worked in Sudan since 1983 and is currently supporting children and their families across Sudan providing health, nutrition, education, child protection and food security and livelihoods support. Save the Children is also supporting refugees from Sudan in Egypt and South Sudan.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.
