Drone Attack on UN Compound in War-Torn Sudan Kills 6 UN Personnel

A aerial bombardment targeted a UN logistics base in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, leading to the deaths of six peacekeeping personnel, as stated by a declaration.

The strike impacted a peacekeeping facility in the city of Kadugli, situated in the mid-country region of Kordofan.

Eight additional personnel were injured in the assault. Each of the casualties are Bangladeshi nationals, deployed with the UN interim security force for Abyei (Unisfa).

“Assaults aimed at United Nations personnel could amount to war crimes under global statutes,” officials stated, calling for the perpetrators for the “unjustifiable” attack to be prosecuted.

Military Points Finger at Paramilitary Faction

The government forces blamed the attack on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a well-known militia that has been at war with the army for control of the country for over 24 months.

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

Background of the Disputed Area

The resource-abundant Abyei is a disputed territory between Sudan and South Sudan, and the United Nations contingent has been deployed there since 2011, when South Sudan became independent from Sudan.

Calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also expressed to allow “a broad, all-encompassing and nationally led dialogue” to settle the war.

Country Engulfed in Chaos Since 2023

Sudan was thrown into open war in April 2023 when a dispute for control between the military and the RSF escalated into open fighting in the national capital and across the country.

• The conflict has claimed more than 40,000 people, a number advocates believe a significant undercount.
• Recent hostilities has centred on Kordofan, particularly since fighters seized El Fasher.
• The war has devastated towns and has been characterized by horrors, like widespread sexual violence and ethnic slaughter.
• These actions have been described as international crimes by global observers.
• The conflict has also caused the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and driven parts of the country into starvation.