ARMED CONFLICT: Hostilities between Sudan and South Sudan taking heavy toll on children

[24 April 2012] - The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict is alarmed by the recent clashes in the areas bordering Sudan and South Sudan taking a heavy toll on children.

“Two 14-years old boys were killed and injured during aerial bombardments on a market in Rubkona, Unity State,” SRSG Radhika Coomaraswamy said. “Air raids in heavily populated areas killing and maiming children are grave breaches of international humanitarian law. I call on the Sudanese Armed Forces to immediately stop these indiscriminate attacks.”

Tensions between the two countries intensified in the last few weeks after South Sudan occupied the Heglig oilfield in Sudan’s Southern Kordofan state on 10 April.  

“Sudan and South Sudan should both refrain from further confrontation in an effort to spare innocent civilians from further suffering.” 

Further Information: 

• SUDAN: Blue Nile civilians describe attacks, abuses (24 April 2012) 
• SOUTH SUDAN: UN voices concern over fresh round of killings (5 February 2012) 
• SOUTH SUDAN: Over 3,000 killed in South Sudan massacre (in Arabic) (6 January 2012)
• SUDAN: Army bombs South Kordofan (29 July 2011)  
• SOUTH SUDAN: A human rights agenda (6 July 2011) 
• SUDAN: President al-Bashir still committing crimes in Darfur (9 June 2011) 
• SUDAN: 80,000 flee violence (27 May 2011) 
• More on children's rights in Sudan and South Sudan