Aerial Strike on UN Facility in Conflict-Ravaged Sudan Claims Six UN Personnel
A drone strike hit a UN facility in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, leading to the demise of six peacekeeping personnel, according to a statement.
The attack occurred at a UN facility in the city of Kadugli, found in the mid-country region of Kordofan.
Eight additional soldiers were wounded in the strike. Each of the victims are citizens of Bangladesh, serving in the United Nations mission in Abyei.
“Attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute international crimes under global statutes,” the statement said, calling for the culprits for the “inexcusable” attack to be brought to justice.
Army Accuses Paramilitary Group
The Sudanese military attributed the strike on the paramilitary RSF group, a prominent paramilitary group that has been at war with the army for power in the country for since April 2023.
The attack “shows the subversive nature of the rebel militia and its backers,” the army said in a release.
Background of the Disputed Area
The resource-abundant Abyei is a claimed area between Sudan and South Sudan, and the peacekeeping force has been operating there since 2011, when South Sudan seceded from Sudan.
Appeals for an swift truce in Sudan were also made to allow “a wide-ranging, all-encompassing and locally driven peace process” to resolve the fighting.
Nation Engulfed in Conflict Since 2023
Sudan was thrown into widespread violence in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the RSF exploded into direct clashes in the national capital and across the country.
- The conflict has killed tens of thousands, a toll human rights organizations consider a low estimate.
- Recent fighting has focused on Kordofan, notably since fighters seized El Fasher.
- The war has destroyed towns and has been characterized by horrors, including mass rape and killings based on ethnicity.
- These acts have been called international crimes by international bodies.
- The war has also created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and pushed parts of the country into starvation.
