The Truth and Knowledge Center : Press Statement on the Targeting of Civilians in South Kordofan/Nuba Mountains

 

The Truth and Knowledge Center

Press Statement on the Targeting of Civilians in South Kordofan/Nuba Mountains

The Truth and Knowledge Center strongly condemns the brutal attack carried out on 29 November 2025 against civilians in the area of Kumo, South Kordofan/Nuba Mountains. The drone strike resulted in the killing of dozens of schoolchildren and caused numerous injuries among civilians, most of whom were women and children.

The deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian objects constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. These violations include but are not limited to:

• Common Article 3 of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which prohibits violence to life and person, including murder, mutilation, cruel treatment, and torture of civilians not taking part in hostilities.

• Article 51(2) of Additional Protocol I (1977), prohibiting acts or threats of violence whose primary purpose is to spread terror among the civilian population.

• Article 52 of Additional Protocol I, which protects civilian objects and forbids attacks on non-military targets, including educational facilities.

• Article 53 of Additional Protocol I, which provides special protection to institutions dedicated to education.

• Rules 1, 7, 11, and 14 of Customary International Humanitarian Law (ICRC), which prohibit attacks on civilians, indiscriminate attacks, and attacks expected to cause excessive civilian harm relative to anticipated military advantage.

• Security Council Resolution 1261 (1999) and subsequent resolutions (1612, 1882, 1998, 2225) on the protection of children in armed conflict, which condemn the killing and maiming of children and attacks on schools.

• Security Council Resolution 2736 (2024) calling for the protection of civilians in Sudan and demanding unhindered humanitarian access—including calls to lift the siege on El Fasher.

The Truth and Knowledge Center stresses that all parties to the conflict—without exception—are legally and morally bound to respect international humanitarian law. Any attack on civilians or civilian infrastructure constitutes an international crime requiring accountability before domestic and international mechanisms, including the ICC.

We call upon the international community—particularly the UN Security Council, the African Union, IGAD, the European Union, and international humanitarian mechanisms—to:

1. Apply urgent pressure on all warring actors to cease all attacks on civilians and comply with international humanitarian law.

2. Establish an independent, impartial, and transparent international investigation into the Kumo attack and all other violations in South Kordofan, Darfur, and across Sudan.

3. Ensure the immediate protection of civilians and guarantee unrestricted humanitarian access.

4. Hold all perpetrators—individuals, militias, and command structures—accountable for war crimes, including attacks on children, schools, and medical facilities.

The Truth and Knowledge Center reaffirms its unwavering commitment to documenting violations, protecting civilians, and advocating for justice. The ongoing suffering of the Sudanese people must end, and international law must prevail.

Alkrty
Human Rights Activist – Director, The Truth and Knowledge Center