CAIRO (AP) — The war in Sudan has killed or wounded more than 300 children in the last six months, mostly from drone strikes, the U.N. children's agency said Monday.
The Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting since April 2023. The war is now concentrated in the Kordofan, Darfur and Blue Nile states, with drone warfare causing 60% of casualties, according to UNICEF.
The U.N., U.S, U.K. and others have expressed alarm about potential atrocities as the RSF and the military fight for control of the strategic city of el-Obeid in North Kordofan.
In Geneva on Monday, the U.N.-backed Human Rights Council approved a measure, brought by five European countries, condemning the escalating violence by the RSF and its allies in and around el-Obeid.
The measure, approved without a vote, also encourages greater support for countries hosting refugees from Sudan and condemns “all forms of external interference” in the war.
The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people, displaced some 13 million and pushed many parts of Sudan into famine. More than 30 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.
Drone strikes and shelling have targeted civilian infrastructure including schools, markets, fuel and water stations, putting over 500,000 people at risk. Civilians in some areas have faced almost siegelike conditions for over a year.
“Children are being caught in a relentless cycle of violence, displacement and deprivation,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF representative for Sudan.
The U.N. called on parties “to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access, and take all possible measures to protect children from harm.”
Separately, at least 15 informal miners were killed when a defunct gold mine partly collapsed Monday in the district of Wadi Halfa, close to Sudan's border with Egypt, authorities said.
Another miner was injured in the collapse of the Mohamed Taqfiq mine, the state-run Sudanese Mineral Resources Co. The company said the miners resumed excavations at the site, although authorities had previously closed it over safety concerns.
Sudan is one of Africa’s top gold producers. It produced 70 tons of gold last year, up from 64 tons in 2024, according to official figures.
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining accounts for the majority of gold extracted in the sprawling country, where safety standards are largely ignored.
Collapses are not uncommon in the country. In May, at least seven miners were killed in a mine collapse in the Red Sea province. Thirteen others were killed in another collapse in South Kordofan province in January.
This version corrects the name of the state to Blue Nile.
FILE - A woman and a child, displaced from North Darfur's capital, el-Fasher or other conflict-affected areas walk in the newly established El-Afadh camp in Al Dabbah, in Sudan's Northern State, Sudan, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Marwan Ali, File)
ATLANTA (AP) — Angel Reese scored 23 points, Naz Hillmon made the go-ahead layup with 20.8 seconds left in overtime and the Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 101-98 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the WNBA semifinals.
Reese scored six of her team's 13 points in overtime. She made two free throws with 4.3 seconds left after Sabrina Ionescu overthrew a pass as Atlanta moved within one win of its first WNBA Finals appearance since 2013.
“I think we did a great job making sure that we were all on the connected stream," Reese said. "We really stayed together and played together, and that's how we won.”
Jordin Canada also scored 23 points and had eight assists for the Dream, who won Game 1 92-82.
Breanna Stewart scored 35 points, including 25 in the first half. She missed a desperation attempt on the final play after the Liberty didn't use their reset to advance the ball, with Stewart saying after the game that officials told them they didn't have one left.
New York hosts Game 3 on Friday.
With the Liberty trailing 86-80 with under two minutes remaining in regulation, Ionescu cut the deficit in half with a deep 3-pointer. An Atlanta shot clock violation with 31 seconds remaining opened the door for the Liberty to get closer, and Stewart hit a quick layup in traffic to make it 86-85.
After New York fouled to extend the game, Reese knocked down both free throws to give the Dream an 88-85 advantage with 14.5 seconds left. Marine Fauthoux knocked down the game-tying 3-pointer with 10.3 seconds to go, boiling the game down to one final Atlanta possession. Rhyne Howard's midrange floater rimmed out just before the buzzer, sending the game to overtime.
“We just had a message that we thought we could be the best team over the last five minutes, let's start off by executing the first couple plays," Dream coach Karl Smesko said. "Everybody was locked in on what those plays were, and they went out there and executed them.”
Atlanta scored the first five points of overtime before New York responded with the next eight, giving the Liberty a 96-93 lead. Canada and Reese scored the next two baskets to flip the advantage again, only for Stewart to respond with one in a pulsating back-and-forth extra period.
Hillmon's layup gave Atlanta the lead for good. The Dream forced a jump ball on New York's first attempt at its final possession, only for the Liberty to win the tip and get another opportunity before Ionescu's wayward pass.
“We're not focused on winning three games straight right now,” Stewart said. “We're focused on winning one game, and that's Friday, and then we go from there. This group has experience. I've been part of some crazy series and I have a lot of confidence in our group.”
The Dream won without leading scorer Allisha Gray, who missed the game with a left hand injury. Izzy Borlase helped soak up her minutes, and the rookie scored 11 points of the bench.
See AP’s full WNBA coverage here
New York forward Breanna Stewart (30) dribbles against Atlanta during the first half in Game 2 of the WNBA basketball semifinals, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Daniel Varnado)
Atlanta forward Naz Hillmon (00) reacts to her basket against New York during the first half in Game 2 of the WNBA basketball semifinals, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Daniel Varnado)
New York guard Pauline Astier (18) drives to the basket against Atlanta forward Naz Hillmon (00) during the first half in Game 2 of the WNBA basketball semifinals, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Daniel Varnado)
