Aerial Strike on UN Facility in War-Torn Sudan Claims 6 Peacekeepers

A unmanned attack struck a UN facility in conflict-ridden Sudan on Saturday, leading to the demise of six peacekeeping personnel, as stated by a statement.

The incident impacted a peacekeeping outpost in the city of Kadugli, situated in the mid-country region of Kordofan.

8 other personnel were wounded in the attack. Each of the victims are from Bangladesh, part of the UN peacekeeping contingent in Abyei.

“Attacks against United Nations peacekeepers could amount to international crimes under global statutes,” it was declared, urging those responsible for the “unjustifiable” attack to be held accountable.

Military Points Finger at Fighter Group

The government forces attributed the incident on the RSF fighters, a notorious militia that has been fighting with the government troops for dominance over the country for over 24 months.

The attack “clearly reveals the rebellious nature of the rebel militia and those behind it,” the army said in a statement.

Background of the Disputed Area

The oil-rich Abyei is a disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan, and the United Nations contingent has been stationed there since 2011, when South Sudan seceded from Sudan.

Appeals for an urgent halt to fighting in Sudan were also issued to allow “a wide-ranging, inclusive and locally driven peace process” to settle the war.

Country Plunged into Conflict Since 2023

Sudan was engulfed in widespread violence in April 2023 when a power struggle between the army and the RSF turned into direct clashes in the capital, Khartoum and elsewhere the country.

• The fighting has taken over 40,000 lives, a figure human rights organizations regard as a significant undercount.
• Recent fighting has focused on Kordofan, notably since paramilitary forces captured El Fasher.
• The conflict has wrecked cities and has been noted for grave abuses, like widespread sexual violence and killings based on ethnicity.
• These actions have been described as war crimes by global observers.
• The war has also created the globe's most dire humanitarian emergency and driven parts of the country into starvation.