Drone Attack on United Nations Base in War-Torn Sudan Leaves 6 Peacekeepers
A unmanned attack targeted a United Nations compound in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, causing the deaths of six UN soldiers, per a declaration.
The strike occurred at a UN outpost in the city of Kadugli, located in the mid-country region of Kordofan.
8 additional soldiers were hurt in the assault. Each of the victims are citizens of Bangladesh, serving in the UN interim security force for Abyei (Unisfa).
“Attacks aimed at UN peacekeepers could be war crimes under global statutes,” the statement said, demanding the perpetrators for the “inexcusable” attack to be brought to justice.
Military Points Finger at Paramilitary Group
The government forces assigned responsibility for the incident on the RSF fighters, a well-known paramilitary group that has been engaged in conflict with the government troops for dominance over the country for over 24 months.
The attack “clearly reveals the subversive approach of the paramilitary group and its backers,” the army said in a release.
Context of the Disputed Region
The resource-abundant Abyei is a contested area between Sudan and its southern neighbor, and the United Nations contingent has been operating there since 2011, when the south seceded from Sudan.
Demands for an urgent halt to fighting in Sudan were also issued to allow “a comprehensive, all-encompassing and Sudanese-owned peace process” to address the war.
Country Plunged into Chaos Since 2023
Sudan was plunged into chaos in April 2023 when a power struggle between the army and the RSF escalated into full-scale combat in the city of Khartoum and across the country.
- The conflict has claimed over 40,000 lives, a toll human rights organizations regard as a low estimate.
- Recent hostilities has been concentrated in Kordofan, notably since fighters seized El Fasher.
- The war has devastated towns and has been noted for grave abuses, such as mass rape and killings based on ethnicity.
- These actions have been labeled crimes against humanity by the UN and rights groups.
- The situation has also caused the globe's most dire humanitarian crisis and forced parts of the country into famine.
