Children at risk as war zone attacks on water and sanitation more than triple

Attacks that damaged or destroyed water and sanitation systems in conflict zones tripled between 2021 and 2025, increasing children’s risk of exposure to disease outbreaks, malnutrition and violence.That’s one key finding from the latest Water Under Fire report by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), published on Thursday. It documents airstrikes and other assaults on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems – and their personnel and communities that depend on these facilities – in 23 countries and territories. Attacks rose from fewer than 45 incidents across eight countries in 2021 to more than 135 incidents across 15 countries in 2025. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stressed that attacks on water and sanitation systems “deprive children of safe drinking water and the essential services that rely on water to function effectively”. Multiple types of attacksWater Under Fire 4 covers the period from January 2021 to June 2026, revealing an increasing pattern of attacks worldwide. The report identified seven assault categories, ranging from strikes on treatment plants, pipelines and wells, to contamination of water sources, and imposing restrictions on the supply of spare ...