Drone Strike on UN Base in Conflict-Ravaged Sudan Claims Six Peacekeepers
A aerial bombardment struck a United Nations compound in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, leading to the demise of six peacekeepers, per a statement.
The strike impacted a UN facility in the city of Kadugli, found in the central region of Kordofan.
Eight additional peacekeepers were wounded in the assault. All the victims are from Bangladesh, part of the UN peacekeeping contingent in Abyei.
“Strikes against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute international crimes under global statutes,” officials stated, demanding the culprits for the “inexcusable” strike to be brought to justice.
Military Accuses Paramilitary Faction
The national army attributed the incident on the paramilitary RSF group, a well-known militia that has been engaged in conflict with the military for power in the country for since April 2023.
The attack “clearly reveals the destructive nature of the armed faction and its backers,” the army said in a statement.
Context of the Disputed Area
The oil-rich Abyei is a disputed territory between Sudan and its southern neighbor, and the United Nations contingent has been stationed there since 2011, when South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan.
Appeals for an urgent halt to fighting in Sudan were also expressed to allow “a wide-ranging, inclusive and nationally led political process” to resolve the war.
Country Engulfed in Conflict Since 2023
Sudan was thrown into widespread violence in April 2023 when a power struggle between the army and the RSF turned into full-scale combat in the national capital and other parts the country.
- The war has killed more than 40,000 people, a number human rights organizations consider a significant undercount.
- Recent hostilities has focused on Kordofan, notably since paramilitary forces took control of El Fasher.
- The crisis has destroyed urban areas and has been characterized by horrors, including widespread sexual violence and ethnically motivated killings.
- These actions have been labeled crimes against humanity by global observers.
- The conflict has also precipitated the planet's most severe humanitarian crisis and pushed parts of the country into starvation.
