Unmanned Strike on UN Facility in War-Torn Sudan Leaves Six UN Personnel
A aerial bombardment struck a UN logistics base in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, leading to the demise of six peacekeepers, per a statement.
The strike occurred at a UN facility in the city of Kadugli, found in the mid-country region of Kordofan.
Eight additional soldiers were injured in the attack. All the those affected are from Bangladesh, serving in the UN interim security force for Abyei (Unisfa).
“Strikes aimed at UN peacekeepers could be war crimes under international law,” officials stated, demanding the perpetrators for the “unacceptable” strike to be held accountable.
Military Points Finger at Paramilitary Faction
The national army blamed the incident on the paramilitary RSF group, a well-known armed faction that has been at war with the military for power in the country for more than two years.
The strike “demonstrates the subversive nature of the rebel militia and those behind it,” the military said in a release.
Background of the Contested Area
The resource-abundant Abyei is a claimed region between Sudan and its southern neighbor, and the peacekeeping force has been deployed there since 2011, when the south seceded from Sudan.
Calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also expressed to allow “a broad, inclusive and nationally led dialogue” to settle the conflict.
Country Plunged into Conflict Since 2023
Sudan was thrown into open war in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the RSF escalated into full-scale combat in the capital, Khartoum and across the country.
- The war has killed tens of thousands, a figure human rights organizations believe a major underestimate.
- Recent fighting has focused on Kordofan, especially since paramilitary forces captured El Fasher.
- The conflict has wrecked cities and has been noted for horrors, such as mass rape and ethnically motivated killings.
- These actions have been called crimes against humanity by international bodies.
- The situation has also precipitated the globe's most dire humanitarian disaster and forced parts of the country into extreme hunger.
