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Water attacks in conflict zones have tripled in five years
Unicef warns that strikes on water infrastructure in 23 countries have left millions of children without safe drinking water and exposed to disease.
In brief
Unicef warns that strikes on water infrastructure in 23 countries have left millions of children without safe drinking water and exposed to disease. Attacks on water and sanitation systems in conflict zones tripled between 2021 and 2025, leaving 137.9 million people needing emergency assistance. Originally reported by…
Attacks on water systems tripled in five years
Unicef's Water Under Fire report, published on five November, documents attacks on water and sanitation infrastructure across twenty-three countries between January 2021 and June 2026.
Seven types of attack identified
Unicef identified seven categories of attacks ranging from strikes on water treatment plants, pipelines and wells to contamination of water sources and restrictions on access to spare parts and chemicals.
Destruction across multiple conflict zones
In Burkina Faso, more than one hundred forty-five water points were destroyed between 2020 and 2025, cutting off supplies to approximately eight hundred thirty thousand people.
Disease and malnutrition follow water loss
Damaged sanitation systems expose children to disease and malnutrition. In refugee camps in eastern Chad, the World Health Organization linked a hepatitis E outbreak to poor water and sanitation conditions, with half of two thousand…
Funding crisis hampers relief efforts
Unicef estimates that one hundred thirty-seven point nine million people need emergency water and sanitation assistance, yet only twenty-six percent of the funding required for 2026 has been received.
“Humanitarian workers do their best to keep water flowing despite increasing attacks.”
The headline
Attacks on water and sanitation systems in conflict zones tripled between 2021 and 2025, leaving 137.9 million people needing emergency assistance.
