In a disturbing escalation of Sudan’s ongoing conflict, paramilitary forces and rebel factions have been implicated in the systematic abduction of 21 children from South Kordofan state with the apparent intention of coercing them into military service. According to multiple eyewitness accounts and verification from the Sudan Doctors Network, the incident occurred on November 24th when joint forces from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Abdelaziz al-Hilu’s faction of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) overran the al-Zallataya gold mining region.
The operation resulted in the capture of approximately 150 individuals, predominantly young males, with the targeted children all being between 14 and 15 years of age. Witness testimony reveals the abductions were conducted through aggressive house-to-house raids and workplace detentions, despite the area experiencing no active hostilities at the time. A local activist described how victims were subsequently held in confined recruitment facilities with no means of escape.
This development is particularly alarming as it follows the RSF’s recent announcement of a unilateral three-month humanitarian ceasefire. Medical authorities confirmed at least four casualties during the raid, which targeted an area previously under Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) control before most troops were redeployed.
The incident reflects the rapidly deteriorating security situation in strategically vital South Kordofan state, where fighting has intensified significantly in recent days. The region has witnessed reciprocal allegations of civilian targeting, including rebel claims of a SAF drone strike that allegedly killed 45 civilians, mostly children.
This abduction campaign appears consistent with previously documented patterns of child recruitment by Sudanese paramilitaries. United Nations reports from October 2023 already indicated the RSF was systematically recruiting vulnerable children, particularly those from impoverished or unaccompanied backgrounds. Humanitarian organizations have documented the catastrophic impact of the conflict on children, with Save the Children reporting approximately one child displaced every ten seconds since hostilities began in April 2023.
The alliance between the RSF and SPLM-N factions has evolved from tacit cooperation to formal integration, with al-Hilu now participating in the RSF’s parallel governance structure. This partnership has significantly altered the dynamics of Sudan’s complex conflict, which has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced over 13 million people.