Aerial Assault on UN Base in Conflict-Ravaged Sudan Claims Six Peacekeepers
A unmanned attack targeted a UN compound in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, leading to the demise of six UN soldiers, according to a declaration.
The attack targeted a UN outpost in the city of Kadugli, located in the central region of Kordofan.
Eight other personnel were wounded in the assault. All the casualties are citizens of Bangladesh, serving in the United Nations mission in Abyei.
“Strikes against UN peacekeepers could amount to violations of international law under international law,” officials stated, calling for those responsible for the “inexcusable” attack to be held accountable.
Military Blames Paramilitary Faction
The government forces blamed the strike on the RSF fighters, a well-known militia that has been at war with the army for power in the country for over 24 months.
The attack “shows the subversive tactics of the armed faction and its backers,” the army said in a release.
Background of the Contested Area
The oil-rich Abyei is a contested region between Sudan and its southern neighbor, and the UN mission has been stationed there since 2011, when the south became independent from Sudan.
Appeals for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also issued to allow “a wide-ranging, all-encompassing and Sudanese-owned peace process” to settle the conflict.
Country Plunged into Chaos Since 2023
Sudan was engulfed in open war in April 2023 when a dispute for control between the military and the RSF turned into full-scale combat in the national capital and across the country.
- The fighting has taken over 40,000 lives, a toll rights groups regard as a major underestimate.
- Recent combat has centred on Kordofan, especially since fighters captured El Fasher.
- The conflict has wrecked towns and has been noted for atrocities, like widespread sexual violence and ethnically motivated killings.
- These actions have been called crimes against humanity by international bodies.
- The situation has also created the planet's most severe humanitarian crisis and driven parts of the country into famine.
