Sudan text from the Report of the Secretary-General on
Children and armed conflict
A/69/926*–S/2015/409*
Sudan
Three areas
172. Conflict continued in South Kordofan and Blue Nile, where large areas remained inaccessible,
especially those under the control of armed groups. After several months of political deadlock,
fighting intensified during the first quarter of 2014. The Government of the Sudan and the Sudan
People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) resumed talks in November in Addis Ababa under
the auspices of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel, but negotiations were
suspended indefinitely by early December.
173. In April and December, the Government launched two phases of its “Decisive Summer”
campaign to regain control of areas controlled by SPLM-N. This resulted in new waves of mass
displacement. Tribal fighting was also observed, particularly in West Kordofan, with one verified
incident in November of clashes breaking out among members of two Misseryia sub-clans in which
at least 40 children were reportedly killed or injured. The disputed area of Abyei also witnessed
continuing tensions.
174. The United Nations verified the recruitment of 60 boys aged 14 to 17 years by the JEM (55) and
SPLM-N (5). All but 3 of them occurred during a forced recruitment campaign in refugee settlements
in Unity State in South Sudan. Unverified information was received about an additional 9 boys
recruited by JEM in that same period. Although no new recruitment cases by Sudanese Armed
Forces were verified, the United Nations received credible information of recruitment and use of
children by the Popular Defence Forces. Large areas of those states were inaccessible, which limited
United Nations ability to monitor allegations in order to reflect the full extent of violations.
175. At least 12 incidents (2 verified) were reported, in which 62 children, aged 5 to 17 years, were
killed or maimed. A boy was killed in the SPLM-N shelling of Kadugli in May and another boy died in
an explosive remnants of war incident. Twenty-eight children (9 girls, 19 boys) were reportedly killed
and 32 injured (7 girls, 25 boys) in the shelling by the armed forces of SPLM-N-controlled areas. A
further 42 children were reportedly killed or maimed as a result of tribal clashes.
176. Four boys, all South Sudanese refugees, were abducted by Arab men in El Muglad locality, West
Kordofan, and kept in captivity for approximately six months. They were released and reunified with
their families in August following negotiations by the Sudan Police Family and Child Protection Unit.
177. One school and two hospitals run by NGOs were severely damaged in aerial bombardments by
the armed forces on SPLM-N-held territories, affecting access to education and medical care for over
75,000 children. In one instance, six persons were injured and the hospital’s emergency room and
pharmacy were destroyed. The United Nations also received credible information regarding the
military use of three schools by the armed forces in South Kordofan.
178. Access to Government and SPLM-N-controlled areas remained very challenging, even though
there was a slight improvement compared with 2013. For the first time, the United Nations was
granted limited access to Kurmuk and Bau localities in Blue Nile. Access to Abyei through Kadugli
continued to be difficult.
Darfur
179. Darfur continued to experience intermittent fighting between Government forces and nonsignatory armed groups, with a spike from January to May and in December, following the launch of
the Government’s “Decisive Summer” military offensive using the rapid support forces. Intertribal
and intratribal clashes in which children were involved intensified. In that context, the verification of
violations against children remained difficult.
180. The country task force on monitoring and reporting verified three boys recruited and used by
the armed forces and three by unidentified militias, a marked decrease compared with 2013.
However, allegations of the recruitment of children continued to be received. In March,
eyewitnesses reported the presence of boys between 15 and 17 years of age during a rapid support
forces parade in Nyala, South Darfur. Another report mentioned that an estimated 37 children were
seen carrying machine guns in El Daein, East Darfur.
181. Moreover, 197 children (135 boys, 62 girls) were killed (65) and maimed (132), by cross-fire
during fighting between government forces and armed groups and in aerial bombardments by the
armed forces. In addition, 15 children were killed and 29 injured by explosive remnants of war.
182. Forty-eight incidents of rape and other forms of sexual violence affecting 60 girls were verified
and attributed to the armed forces (15), the rapid support forces (10) and unidentified armed men
(35). In most cases, girls were raped during attacks on their villages or when performing daily
activities. Verifying cases of sexual violence remains a challenge due to fear of reprisals, mistrust in
law enforcement and judicial authorities, and social stigma. In addition, the requirement by law to
prove rape as a crime before the provision of medical care deters survivors and families from
seeking help. When they do so, criminal law provisions may be interpreted in such a way that the
survivor is accused of adultery. In cases where perpetrators are identified, families of victims often
settle cases outside judicial proceedings.
183. Furthermore, the United Nations received allegations of the rape of 200 women, including
children, by the armed forces in Thabit, North Darfur, in October. On 9 November, UNAMID
conducted a mission to investigate the allegations, which could not be verified, as security personnel
were present during UNAMID interactions with the community. UNAMID has since continued to face
restrictions in its effort to access Thabit.
184. Ten schools were severely damaged, destroyed or looted during fighting between Government
security forces and armed groups and in aerial bombardments by the armed forces. Eight incidents
of attacks, looting and destruction of hospitals were reported. One school used militarily by the
armed forces in South Darfur was also verified.
185. Eight incidents of abduction of 13 children (10 boys, 3) were reported and attributed to the
rapid support forces (4), border guards (3), armed forces (1) and unidentified militias (5). Children
were used in support functions or labour and sometimes were sexually abused.
186. Denial of humanitarian access and the imposition of restrictions on movements continued to
impede efforts to reach affected communities, including children.
187. On 6 August, the Sudan Liberation Army-Minni Minawi established an operational mechanism
to end recruitment and use of children, following a command order issued in December 2013.
UNAMID engaged in dialogue with tribal leaders and communities, which resulted in the adoption of
a community-based strategic plan to end use of children in intercommunal violence in October. It
followed the issuance of a command order by the leader of the Mahameed clan of the Northern
Rezeigat. On 26 November, UNAMID, UNICEF and the Sudan commission on disarmament,
demobilization and reintegration launched the Darfur-wide campaign entitled “No Child Soldiers —
Protect Darfur” in Masseriah, North Darfur. Training and awareness-raising activities on child
protection were also conducted with civil society, religious and tribal leaders, state-level government
personnel and the armed forces.
188. Limited progress was observed in holding the perpetrators of violations against children
accountable. Twelve cases of arrest were documented by the country task force on monitoring and
reporting, of which 4 resulted in prosecution and 1 in a sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for rape.
189. I urge the Government of the Sudan to finalize and sign the action plan to address recruitment
and use of children by its security forces.
A/68/878–S/2014/339
Sudan
Three areas (South Kordofan, Blue Nile State and Abyei)
131. The security situation in Blue Nile and South Kordofan remained volatile owing to continued
fighting, primarily between Government forces and the Sudan People Liberation Movement North
(SPLM-N). Grave violations against children also resulted from fighting in West, South and North
Kordofan between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), a coalition
of SPLM-N, the Justice Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army factions of Minni
Minawi, (SLA-MM) and Abdul Wahid (SLA-AW). The security situation and access restrictions
continued to have an impact on the ability of the United Nations to verify information, although
access to Government-controlled areas slightly improved.
132. The United Nations recorded the recruitment and use of 42 children in South Kordofan and Blue
Nile, including 2 by the SAF. Both boys, 13 and 14 years of age were recruited in Blue Nile and
remained associated with SAF at the time of reporting. Of the 40 children recruited and used by
armed groups, 14 children, all boys, some as young as 12, were recruited by the Popular Defence
Force (PDF) in Blue Nile (5 boys) and South Kordofan (9). At least 26 children (19 boys and 7 girls)
were recruited and used by SPLM-N, including 10 (5 boys and 5 girls), a young as 12, escaping from
an SPLM-N camp in Mandi, South Kordofan. Sixteen children (14 boys and 2 girls) were recruited by
SPLM-N in Upper Nile State, South Sudan. Three of the children reported to have received military
training in Blue Nile after having been recruited in South Sudan in April. The cases confirm previous
allegations about the cross-border recruitment of children between South Sudan and the Sudan.
133. At least six children were killed in clashes, including between SAF and SRF, and between SPLMN and the Central Reserve Police (CRP). In addition, 10 children were injured in mortar attacks by
CRP (3) and SPLM-N (7). Furthermore, unexploded ordnance-related incidents resulted in at least six
children being injured in Blue Nile, and six children reportedly killed and nine others injured in a
single incident in Um Baraka, South Kordofan.
134. Sexual violence against children in the three areas continued to be underreported in 2013
owing to limited monitoring capacity and victims’ fear of stigmatization. The United Nations
documented the rape of three girls, between 14 and 17 years of age, by pro-Government militias in
two separate incidents in Abu Zabad, South Kordofan, on 19 November.
135. In the only documented attack on a school, on 19 November 2013, a mortar shell by SPLM-N hit
the yard of El Manar primary school for boys in Kadugli, South Kordofan, injuring a 10-year-old boy.
136. Access to Abyei via Kadugli, South Kordofan, was for the first time granted in September, but
was quickly disrupted owing to intensified fighting between SAF and SPLM-N. No humanitarian
access has been allowed in the non-Government controlled areas of Blue Nile and South Kordofan
since the conflict broke out in 2011.
137. The United Nations organized child protection training and orientation for
131 SAF and PDF officers. Nine children released by PDF in Abugibaiha, Talodi, and Kalogi, South
Kordofan, and the 10 children who fled from the SPLM-N camp in Mandi, were reintegrated with
support from the United Nations. Although the SPLM-N had expressed its intention to enter into
dialogue with the United Nations to address grave violations against children in 2012, lack of access
didn’t allow any follow-up.
Darfur
138. The security situation in Darfur deteriorated owing to sporadic clashes between
Government forces and armed groups as well as due to inter-communal and tribal clashes,
including over natural resources. The increased mobilization and arming of children by
communities further exacerbated the risk of the re-recruitment
of demobilized children. The United Nations, in conducting monitoring in conjunction with
the African Union through the United Nations Assistance Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), was
able to verify four cases of recruitment by SAF and 14 by border guards, and received
reports of 17 children allegedly recruited by SAF,
border guards and SLA-AW. Challenges in monitoring and reporting in areas beyond
Government control clearly limited the documentation and verification of child recruitment
in Darfur.
139. The United Nations documented the killing of 91 children (71 boys and 20 girls) and
injury to 98 others (64 boys and 34 girls). Forty-three children were shot and killed and 32
others injured during clashes between Government forces and armed groups as well as
during inter- and intra-ethnic fighting. At least 31 children were killed and 14 others injured
in SAF air strikes. Incidents involving explosive remnants of war also continued to be a major
concern, killing 17 children and injuring 52 others.
140. At least 62 girls were raped in 40 separate incidents. Most cases were perpetrated by
unknown armed elements, some of whom were wearing military uniforms. However, in
three cases alleged perpetrators were identified as Government forces and, in one case,
elements of SLA-MM. Government Police arrested a member of the Central Reserve Police
for the rape of a 6-year-old girl on 17 October, and two Government Police officers were
identified among the six men raping a 16-year-old girl on 5 February near the Al Meglis area
of El Geneina, West Darfur. Sexual violence remained underreported owing to fear of
stigmatization and reprisals by perpetrators as well as out-of-court settlements.
141. In three SAF air strikes on three schools in Dursa village, Central Darfur, in Um Dadeti,
South Darfur, and in Tabit, North Darfur, all three schools sustained major damage and six
schoolchildren were injured. In addition, between 15 and 17 April, unknown armed
elements looted schools in Labado, East Darfur, following fighting between SAF and SLAMM.
142. Fifteen cases of abduction of children were documented in Donkey Dreisa and in
Hamada forest, South Darfur (12 cases), Labado and Muhajeria, East Darfur (2), and in Jabel
Amer, West Darfur (1). For instance, in Labado and Muhajeria, a 15-year-old girl was
abducted by pro-Government militia along with her 18-year-old sister, was used as a porter
and was raped before being released.
143. The Government of the Sudan took some positive steps to end the recruitment and use
of children. On 21 July, the Government enacted a law raising the age of recruitment into
PDF from 16 to 18 years and establishing 18 as the minimum age for joining the national
reserve service and the national service. I am encouraged by the ongoing discussions
between the United Nations and the Government of the Sudan with a view of finalizing a
draft action plan to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children. Progress was also
made on dialogue with JEM/Jibril Ibrahim, SLA-MM and SLA-AW, which issued command
orders prohibiting child recruitment within their ranks, and with Sheik Musa Hilal, who
issued a similar order to nomadic communities under his leadership. Furthermore, 405
children formerly associated with armed groups and forces, including with the disbanded
SLA-Historical Leadership, received reintegration support.
A/67/845*–S/2013/245*
Sudan
Darfur
138. During the reporting period, the country task force recorded 31 cases of recruitment
and use of children: 11 by the Popular Defence Forces, 4 by the Central Reserve Police, 3 by
JEM, 2 by the Sudanese Armed Forces and 11 by unidentified armed groups. Three boys
between 14 and 17 years of age were abducted for
recruitment purposes by JEM in northern Darfur, but managed to escape and were
subsequently detained by the national armed forces before being released and reunited
with their families.
139. In 2012, 62 children (44 boys and 18 girls) were killed and 57 (42 boys and 15 girls)
injured during hostilities in Darfur. Of those children, 27 were killed by stray bullets during
clashes between unidentified armed groups, 26 during air strikes by the national armed
forces and 9 by unexploded ordnance. The increase in the number of child casualties — 119
children in 2012 compared with 71 children in 2011 — is attributed to the escalation of
violence between government forces and armed groups during the reporting period, in
addition to inter-ethnic fighting in various areas of Darfur.
140. The country task force reported 36 cases of rape of girls between 5 and 17 years of age
in 2012. In areas under the Government’s control, several documented incidents of rape
were attributed to government forces, including the national armed forces, the Central
Reserve Police, the Popular Defence Forces, the police and the
Border Intelligence Forces. Perpetrators also included unidentified armed men. These
figures do not reflect the actual scope of sexual violence against children in Darfur, given
that access to some areas remained limited.
141. In 2012, movement restrictions for humanitarian actors on security grounds continued
to affect the delivery of assistance to children. Restrictions on movement by road from El
Fasher to El Daein, for example, heavily affected humanitarian aid. On four separate
occasions, refusal of clearance for humanitarian actors to gain
access to areas not under the control of the Government impeded the provision of
humanitarian assistance to children.
142. Among developments in the reporting period, a focal point to engage with the country
task force on child protection concerns was appointed by JEM in January 2012. Following
further consultations, on 11 September 2012, JEM issued a command order in which it
prohibited the recruitment and use of children and, on
25 September 2012, it submitted to the United Nations a commitment to release children
and to report on progress made. In November 2012, the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul
Wahid also issued a command order in which it prohibited the recruitment and use of
children. Sudanese Liberation Army/Historical Leadership
submitted two progress reports in which it outlined steps taken towards ending recruitment
and use of children. Although there were allegations of recruitment and use of children by
that armed group during the reporting period, they could not be substantiated. Sudan
Liberation Army/Free Will, JEM/Peace Wing and Sudan
Liberation Army/Peace Wing have been removed from the annexes to the present report,
since no information was available on recruitment and use of children by these groups in
2012, nor that the groups were militarily active.
143. The Government informed the country task force that the Ministry of Defence had
approved the development of an action plan to end the recruitment and use of children,
which would apply also to other groups affiliated with the national armed forces, including
the Popular Defence Forces. That commitment was reiterated to a United Nations technical
mission that visited the Sudan in April 2013.
144. In January 2012, the Government established a national human rights commission to
monitor and investigate human rights and child rights violations. In January 2012, the Police
Commissioner created a national coordination mechanism for family and children
protection units. Efforts were also made by the police and its Family Child Protection Unit to
investigate cases of violations against children, an exercise that resulted in the arrest of a
number of alleged perpetrators. On 18 July 2012, for example, a court in Zalingei, Central
Darfur, sentenced a soldier to 20 years’ imprisonment for the rape of an 8-year-old girl.
145. A list of 120 children released by Sudanese Liberation Army/Historical Leadership was
submitted in 2011 to the Sudan Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
Commission and the United Nations. The registration process of these children began in
January 2013. In addition, the African Union-United Nations
Hybrid Operation in Darfur provided training on child rights and child protection to 118
commanders and combatants of the Liberation and Justice Movement in El Fasher and
Nyala.
Three areas (South Kordofan, Blue Nile State and Abyei)
146. During the reporting period, 125 boys between 11 and 17 years of age were reportedly
recruited and used by armed forces and armed groups in South Kordofan (31), Blue Nile
State (46) and Abyei (48). Of those boys, 65 were reportedly recruited by the Sudan People’s
Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N), 12 by the Popular Defence Forces and 48 by SPLA. In
addition, the United Nations continued to receive allegations of recruitment and use of
children by SPLM-N in areas not controlled by the Government. Verification of those
allegations remained impossible, however, owing to access restrictions.
147. In 2012, the United Nations received reports that 31 children had been killed in Kadugli
and 1 in South Kordofan/Abyei. In that regard, nine incidents of aerial bombardments and
shelling resulted in the killing of 10 boys and 10 girls, some only a month old. Six incidents
involving 15 children were attributed to the national
armed forces, while three other incidents were attributed to SPLM-N. Three boys were
killed and one maimed by unexploded ordnance. A total of 43 children were reportedly
injured in South Kordofan (42) and Abyei (1): 41 as a result of aerial bombardments and
shelling by the national armed forces and SPLM-N, 1 by crossfire and 1 by unexploded
ordnance.
148. Although the Government allowed United Nations national staff limited access to the
areas under its control for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, movement of
international staff outside the capitals of South Kordofan and Blue Nile State was restricted.
No humanitarian assistance could be delivered to children in areas held by SPLM-N. The
Government continued to impose restrictions on access for humanitarian actors both in
government-held and non-government-held areas in Blue Nile State and South Kordofan.
Verification of reports of grave violations against children was impossible in areas not
controlled by the Government.
149. In a verification process with the Sudan Disarmament, Demobilization and
Reintegration Commission, the United Nations supported the registration of 18 children
formerly associated with armed groups, who were reunited with their families and received
reintegration support. An additional 42 children escaped from an SPLM-N camp and were
registered with the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme in Blue Nile
State. During the reporting period, SPLM-N committed itself to engaging in dialogue with
the United Nations to address the presence of children within its ranks.
A/66/782–S/2012/261
Sudan
Darfur
109. In 2011, the country task forces on monitoring and reporting documented 45 cases of
recruitment and use of children, representing a significant decrease from the 115 recorded
in 2010. Of the 45 cases, 7 were perpetrated by the Sudanese police forces; 5 by the Border
Intelligence Forces; 5 by Central Reserve Police; 14 by pro-Government militias; 5 by the
Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/Abdul Wahid; 3 by the Popular Defense Forces (PDF); 1 by the
Sudanese Armed Forces; 1 by SLA/Minni Minawi; 1 by JEM; and 3 by unidentified armed
groups. The majority of recorded incidents of recruitment and use of children took place in
Government-controlled areas. Collection of information in areas that were not fully under
the control of Government forces, such as parts of Jebel Mara and the border areas with
South and North Kordofan, remained a challenge owing to restrictions and denial of access
by both Government and armed groups.
110. The country task force verified 54 cases of maiming and 17 cases of killing of children.
The 17 cases of killing included 7 attributed to crossfire, 5 attributed to the Sudanese Armed
Forces air strikes and 5 to explosive remnants of war. Of the 54 cases of maiming, 23
children were shot, and 31 were injured by explosive
remnants of war. 111. In 2011, the country task force verified 59 cases of rape of girls aged
6 to 17 years, an increase compared with the 22 cases recorded in 2010. Some of these
cases were reported to the police or to the Sudanese Armed Forces. The alleged
perpetrators included members of the Sudanese Armed Forces, unidentified armed men,
armed nomads, pro-Government militia, Sudanese police forces, PDF and the Central
Reserve Police. Limited access in areas controlled by armed groups and fear of being
stigmatized affected the documentation of sexual violence cases.
112. One incident of looting of a school was reported, allegedly by the SudaneseArmed
Forces in North Darfur in January 2011. The looting of a hospital in SouthDarfur by unknown
armed elements was also reported.
113. Throughout 2011, humanitarian access continued to be seriously hampered insome
areas of Darfur owing to fighting between Government forces and armedgroups, as well as
security restrictions imposed by the Government. Restrictions anddenial of access delayed
or prevented the delivery of essential drugs and vaccinationfor children in Darfur in April
2011.
Three areas (Abyei, Blue Nile and South Kordofan)
114. Cases of recruitment and use of children significantly increased in Abyei, BlueNile and
South Kordofan in 2011, with 52 verified cases compared with 8 in 2010.In South Kordofan
and Abyei, 41 cases of recruitment of boys aged between 14 and17 years were verified.
Perpetrators included SPLA (12); the Sudan People’sLiberation Movement-North (SPLM-N)
(5); the Sudanese Armed Forces (2); PDF(5); and unidentified armed groups (17). In Blue
Nile, 11 cases of recruitment ofboys between 14 and 17 years were verified and attributed
to SPLA (10) and theSPLM-N (1). The country task force received a number of credible
allegations of
abductions of children by SPLM-N with the aim of forcefully recruiting them.
115. From April to June 2011, the number of cases of killing and maiming increased with the
resumption of conflict. At least 29 children were reportedly killed and 34 maimed in South
Kordofan and Abyei during the reporting period. Of these, two children were killed and
three were injured in incidents involving explosive remnants of war. The remaining children
were killed or injured as a result of crossfire between the Sudanese Armed Forces, PDF and
SPLM-N, or as a result of shelling and aerial bombings by the Sudanese Armed Forces. In
addition, one7-year-old boy was killed and two children aged 14 and 16 years were injured
by Sudanese Armed Forces aerial bombing in Blue Nile. Lack of access impeded the
verification of these incidents.
116. Monitoring cases of sexual violence against children in South Kordofan, Abyeiand Blue
Nile continued to be a challenge. One incident of rape of a 14-year-old girlby four PDF
elements in South Kordofan was verified. The country task force received allegations of
about 20 additional cases of rape targeting Nuba girls and women by unidentified armed
elements, including one incident leading to the death of a girl.
117. The military use of schools and hospitals in El Buram localities, in South Kordofan, by
the Sudanese Armed Forces before June 2011 continued. In addition, the functioning of at
least 12 schools in South Kordofan was disrupted since fighting began in June 2011. As at
December 2011, the education of an estimated 137,900 schoolchildren had been disrupted
owing to schools being damaged or used by armed forces, inhabited by internally displaced
persons or contaminated with explosive remnants of war. In Blue Nile, it is estimated that
35,335 children were prevented from attending school owing to the disruption of the
functioning of 156 schools as a result of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and
SPLM-N in Bau, Geissan and Kurmuk localities.
118. Humanitarian access deteriorated in South Kordofan, Abyei and Blue Nile in 2011
owing to insecurity and Government-enforced restrictions of movement and new
administrative measures. Although limited humanitarian access was granted in some areas
of South Kordofan and Blue Nile, this was restricted to Government controlled areas. In
addition, no international humanitarian staff has been allowed into South Kordofan and
Blue Nile since early October 2011. Meanwhile, Abyei remained accessible for humanitarian
actors only through South Sudan.