Unmanned Assault on UN Facility in War-Torn Sudan Leaves Six UN Personnel

A drone strike targeted a United Nations facility in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, causing the demise of six peacekeepers, according to a statement.

The attack targeted a UN facility in the city of Kadugli, found in the mid-country region of Kordofan.

Eight other peacekeepers were wounded in the attack. All the those affected are citizens of Bangladesh, part of the UN interim security force for Abyei (Unisfa).

“Attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers could be violations of international law under global statutes,” it was declared, urging the culprits for the “unjustifiable” strike to be held accountable.

Army Points Finger at Fighter Faction

The government forces blamed the incident on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a well-known paramilitary group that has been at war with the army for dominance over the country for since April 2023.

The attack “demonstrates the rebellious approach of the armed faction and its backers,” the military said in a communication.

Context of the Contested Area

The resource-abundant Abyei is a disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan, and the peacekeeping force has been deployed there since 2011, when South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan.

Calls for an urgent halt to fighting in Sudan were also issued to allow “a comprehensive, all-encompassing and locally driven peace process” to address the war.

Country Plunged into Conflict Since 2023

Sudan was thrown into open war in April 2023 when a dispute for control between the army and the RSF escalated into direct clashes in the national capital and other parts the country.

• The war has killed tens of thousands, a figure human rights organizations believe a low estimate.
• Recent hostilities has been concentrated in Kordofan, especially since fighters seized El Fasher.
• The war has wrecked cities and has been marked by grave abuses, including mass rape and killings based on ethnicity.
• These actions have been described as international crimes by global observers.
• The situation has also precipitated the planet's most severe humanitarian crisis and forced parts of the country into starvation.