At least 116 people, including 46 children, were killed when Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacked a pre-school and other civilian facilities in Kalogi, local officials and medical sources said.

The brutal strikes are part of the ongoing civil war between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

The Sudan Doctors Network reported that the attacks were carried out using “deliberate suicide drones,” targeting a kindergarten and multiple civilian locations. Paramedics responding to the scene were also attacked in a second strike, hampering rescue efforts.

Two military sources aligned with the SAF confirmed that the RSF first bombed the pre-school on Thursday and later targeted civilians gathered to help the injured. A local hospital and government building were also hit.

Communication blackouts in the area have complicated casualty reporting, and officials fear the death toll could rise further.

International condemnation

UNICEF’s representative in Sudan, Sheldon Yett, called the attack “a horrific violation of children’s rights.” The Sudan Doctors Network described the strike as a “grave violation of international humanitarian law,” highlighting the targeting of civilians and vital infrastructure.

Strategic significance of Kordofan

The fighting in South Kordofan has intensified after the fall of el-Fasher, the last major Darfur city under government control. Kordofan serves as a crucial corridor linking RSF-controlled Darfur in the west to government-held areas in the east and north, making it strategically vital for both sides. Control of cities like el-Obeid could give the RSF direct access to Khartoum, the capital.

The civil war in Sudan has now entered its third year, killing tens of thousands, displacing more than nine million, and leaving roughly 30 million people dependent on humanitarian aid. The UN has documented at least 269 civilian deaths in Kordofan since late October due to aerial bombardments, artillery fire, and targeted killings.

Volker Turk, the UN’s human rights chief, warned that Kordofan risks mass atrocities similar to those seen in Darfur’s el-Fasher. “It is truly shocking to see history repeating itself in Kordofan so soon after the horrific events in el-Fasher,” he said, urging the international community to act.