A drone strike targeted a United Nations logistics base in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, leading to the deaths of six peacekeepers, per a announcement.
The strike targeted a UN outpost in the city of Kadugli, located in the mid-country region of Kordofan.
8 other soldiers were injured in the strike. Each of the those affected are citizens of Bangladesh, deployed with the UN peacekeeping contingent in Abyei.
“Assaults against UN personnel may constitute violations of international law under global statutes,” the statement said, demanding those responsible for the “unacceptable” attack to be held accountable.
Military Points Finger at Paramilitary Faction
The Sudanese military blamed the attack on the RSF fighters, a well-known militia that has been fighting with the army for power in the country for more than two years.
The strike “shows the rebellious nature of the armed faction and those behind it,” the army said in a communication.
Context of the Disputed Region
The resource-abundant Abyei is a claimed region between Sudan and South Sudan, and the United Nations contingent has been deployed there since 2011, when the south gained its independence from Sudan.
Appeals for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also made to allow “a wide-ranging, all-encompassing and locally driven political process” to resolve the war.
Country Plunged into Chaos Since 2023
Sudan was thrown into widespread violence in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the RSF exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum and other parts the country.
- The conflict has killed more than 40,000 people, a number rights groups consider a low estimate.
- Recent fighting has focused on Kordofan, particularly since fighters seized El Fasher.
- The conflict has destroyed urban areas and has been characterized by grave abuses, like mass rape and ethnic slaughter.
- These actions have been called war crimes by international bodies.
- The situation has also caused the planet's most severe humanitarian disaster and pushed parts of the country into starvation.
