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)
SEATTLE (AP) — Ian Happ and Pedro Ramírez each hit grand slams and had five RBIs, Pete Crow-Armstrong also homered and the Chicago Cubs blew out the Seattle Mariners 19-2 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Michael Conforto hit Chicago's other homer, getting his 11th of the season on a leadoff shot in the third that Happ highlighted with his two-out, two-strike shot with the bases loaded.
Mariners starter Bryce Miller (4-8) issued three straight two-out walks before facing Happ. The Seattle right-hander got ahead in the count 1-2, but Happ kept his hands tucked on a down-and-in splitter to blast it off the right-field foul pole for his 22nd home run of the season.
Seattle (62-69) remained three games behind Houston in the AL West and fell three games back for the final wild-card spot. The Cubs (75-56) preserved a 4 1/2 -game lead in the NL wild card.
Miller also walked the bases loaded in the fifth, an inning in which Chicago scored on a fielder’s choice by Alex Bregman. Miller issued a career-high seven walks in the game.
Ramírez hit a grand slam in the eighth off Jhonny Pereda, Seattle’s backup catcher. Crow-Armstrong hit his team-leading 33rd home run of the season earlier in the inning.
Aaron Civale (6-7) threw four scoreless innings in relief of Chicago starter Shota Imanaga, who was pulled in the third.
Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena, who hit a walk-off home run during Saturday’s 5-4 win, smacked a leadoff home run for the second straight day. Arozarena became the 11th player in major league history with at least six seasons with both 20 or more home runs and 20 or more stolen bases.
Seattle utilityman Brendan Donovan was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list on Sunday, a day after he was hit in the head by a baseball in the batting cages.
Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (10-7, 3.35 ERA) will start opposite Phillies RHP Zack Wheeler (10-4, 2.92) on Monday as Seattle opens a three-game series against Philadelphia. RHP Kevin Gausman (6-11, 4.58) gets the nod for the Cubs against the Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly (8-11, 5.37) on Monday in Arizona.
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Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Aaron Civale throws against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Chicago Cubs' Pedro Ramírez celebrates scoring on an RBI single from Carson Kelly against the Seattle Mariners during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller looks on after walking Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Fans react as the grand slam from Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ against the Seattle Mariners goes into the stands during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ hits a grand slam against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
