Aerial Attack on United Nations Base in War-Torn Sudan Claims Six UN Personnel
A drone strike targeted a United Nations facility in conflict-ridden Sudan on Saturday, leading to the loss of six peacekeeping personnel, according to a announcement.
The attack impacted a UN logistics base in the city of Kadugli, situated in the mid-country region of Kordofan.
8 other personnel were injured in the assault. All the those affected are from Bangladesh, deployed with the UN interim security force for Abyei (Unisfa).
“Strikes aimed at UN personnel may constitute international crimes under international law,” the statement said, demanding those responsible for the “unacceptable” strike to be prosecuted.
Military Blames Paramilitary Group
The national army attributed the strike on the paramilitary RSF group, a notorious armed faction that has been engaged in conflict with the government troops for control of the country for over 24 months.
The attack “demonstrates the subversive approach of the paramilitary group and its backers,” the army said in a statement.
Background of the Disputed Region
The oil-rich Abyei is a claimed territory between Sudan and South Sudan, and the United Nations contingent has been stationed there since 2011, when the south gained its independence from Sudan.
Calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also expressed to allow “a wide-ranging, inclusive and nationally led peace process” to settle the conflict.
Country Engulfed in Chaos Since 2023
Sudan was plunged into chaos in April 2023 when a dispute for control between the army and the RSF turned into full-scale combat in the capital, Khartoum and other parts the country.
- The war has killed over 40,000 lives, a number rights groups regard as a major underestimate.
- Recent fighting has centred on Kordofan, notably since paramilitary forces seized El Fasher.
- The conflict has destroyed cities and has been noted for grave abuses, such as systematic rape and ethnic slaughter.
- These actions have been labeled war crimes by international bodies.
- The situation has also created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and driven parts of the country into famine.
