Aerial Strike on UN Compound in War-Torn Sudan Leaves Six UN Personnel
A drone strike hit a United Nations compound in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, resulting in the loss of six peacekeepers, per a statement.
The strike impacted a peacekeeping facility in the city of Kadugli, located in the central region of Kordofan.
8 other personnel were wounded in the strike. Each of the those affected are Bangladeshi nationals, part of the United Nations mission in Abyei.
“Strikes targeting UN peacekeepers could be violations of international law under international law,” officials stated, demanding those responsible for the “unacceptable” strike to be held accountable.
Army Blames Fighter Group
The Sudanese military attributed the incident on the RSF fighters, a prominent armed faction that has been at war with the government troops for control of the country for since April 2023.
The strike “clearly reveals the rebellious tactics of the paramilitary group and its supporters,” the army said in a communication.
Background of the Disputed Region
The resource-abundant Abyei is a claimed territory between Sudan and its southern neighbor, and the UN mission has been deployed there since 2011, when South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan.
Calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also expressed to allow “a broad, all-encompassing and nationally led political process” to address the conflict.
Country Plunged into Conflict Since 2023
Sudan was plunged into open war in April 2023 when a power struggle between the military and the RSF escalated into direct clashes in the capital, Khartoum and across the country.
- The war has taken more than 40,000 people, a figure human rights organizations consider a major underestimate.
- Recent fighting has been concentrated in Kordofan, particularly since the RSF seized El Fasher.
- The conflict has destroyed cities and has been marked by atrocities, like systematic rape and ethnic slaughter.
- These crimes have been labeled crimes against humanity by the UN and rights groups.
- The conflict has also created the globe's most dire humanitarian emergency and forced parts of the country into famine.
