Aerial Attack on UN Base in Conflict-Ravaged Sudan Kills Six Peacekeepers

A drone strike targeted a United Nations facility in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, causing the demise of six UN soldiers, per a declaration.

The attack targeted a peacekeeping outpost in the city of Kadugli, located in the mid-country region of Kordofan.

Eight additional peacekeepers were hurt in the assault. Each of the victims are citizens of Bangladesh, serving in the UN peacekeeping contingent in Abyei.

“Assaults targeting United Nations personnel may constitute war crimes under international law,” officials stated, urging the perpetrators for the “inexcusable” strike to be held accountable.

Military Accuses Fighter Group

The national army blamed the attack 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 rebellious tactics of the paramilitary group and its supporters,” the military said in a release.

Background of the Contested Area

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

Demands for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also made to allow “a comprehensive, inclusive and Sudanese-owned political process” to address the conflict.

Country Engulfed in Conflict Since 2023

Sudan was engulfed in widespread violence in April 2023 when a power struggle between the army and the RSF escalated into full-scale combat in the city of Khartoum and across the country.

• The conflict has killed more than 40,000 people, a figure human rights organizations regard as a significant undercount.
• Recent fighting has focused on Kordofan, particularly since paramilitary forces captured El Fasher.
• The war has destroyed urban areas and has been noted for grave abuses, such as widespread sexual violence and ethnically motivated killings.
• These crimes have been described as international crimes by international bodies.
• The situation has also precipitated the world’s worst humanitarian disaster and forced parts of the country into famine.