At least five children were killed and two others injured in a drone attack targeting a market in Nyala, located in Sudan's South Darfur state. The incident occurred on Monday, according to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), which issued a statement on Thursday. Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, identified the victims as three boys and two girls aged between seven and 14. This attack follows a similar drone strike in Abyei just one week prior, which reportedly killed at least 80 people, including women and children, in a busy market.
Kadilli emphasized that markets are essential spaces for families to purchase food and earn livelihoods, stating that a trip to the market should never cost a child their life. UNICEF reported that more than 400 children were killed or injured in Sudan between January and September of this year, with armed drone attacks accounting for a significant share of these casualties. The agency noted that such strikes have also damaged homes, schools, health facilities, water systems, and markets. Kadilli warned that ordinary parts of daily life are becoming increasingly dangerous for children after more than three years of conflict, calling for an end to the killing and injuring of minors.
In Haiti, a deepening hunger crisis is affecting more than 5.9 million people who face high levels of acute food insecurity. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) cited assessments indicating that the island nation has one of the highest levels of hunger globally, impacting more than half its population. Rein Paulsen, Director of FAO's Office of Emergencies and Resilience, explained that violence is restricting access to markets, land, and agricultural inputs. Compounding these issues is a strong El Niño phenomenon, which has brought drier conditions and higher temperatures to the Caribbean region.
El Niño is expected to cause crop losses and delayed planting, potentially pushing acute food insecurity in Haiti to even more critical levels next year. Simultaneously, inflation running at approximately 17 percent is eroding purchasing power and limiting household access to sufficient food. To address this, FAO is distributing emergency assistance kits containing seeds, poultry, ducks, goats, and other animals to help farmers produce milk and eggs for immediate sale and family sustenance. Separately, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned that acute hunger is on track to reach record levels, with 6.35 million people projected to face food insecurity between March and June next year. The WFP has supported 2.6 million people so far in 2026 but requires $78 million to sustain operations through March, as the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Haiti remains less than half funded.
In Yemen, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) delivered trauma and emergency surgery kits to hospitals in Taiz City, which faces acute shortages and remains almost entirely surrounded by Houthi forces. The lifesaving shipment arrived over the weekend and was distributed among several facilities. WHO noted that movement restrictions in Taiz have forced community midwives to stop working, while access from Government-controlled Aden and the west coast remains restricted. The agency highlighted severe shortages of medicines, fuel, and water in the city.
WHO also warned of an increased risk of disease outbreaks due to disrupted waste management, noting that the city's dumps are too dangerous to reach because of ongoing conflict. Further north in Marib governorate, primary healthcare is on the verge of collapse due to funding cuts. Currently, only six out of 31 mobile medical teams remain operational, and 15 health facilities have ceased functioning altogether.
Sources: UN News English.