Unmanned Strike on United Nations Compound in War-Torn Sudan Claims Six Peacekeepers

A aerial bombardment struck a United Nations logistics base in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, causing the demise of six peacekeeping personnel, as stated by a statement.

The attack impacted a peacekeeping logistics base in the city of Kadugli, located in the central region of Kordofan.

Eight other peacekeepers were injured in the attack. Each of the those affected are Bangladeshi nationals, serving in the United Nations mission in Abyei.

“Assaults aimed at United Nations peacekeepers may constitute violations of international law under global statutes,” officials stated, calling for the culprits for the “unjustifiable” attack to be prosecuted.

Army Points Finger at Fighter Faction

The Sudanese military blamed the incident on the paramilitary RSF group, a prominent militia that has been fighting with the military for control of the country for since April 2023.

The strike “clearly reveals the destructive tactics of the paramilitary group and its supporters,” the military said in a release.

Context of the Disputed Region

The resource-abundant Abyei is a contested area between Sudan and South Sudan, and the United Nations contingent has been operating there since 2011, when the south became independent from Sudan.

Demands for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also expressed to allow “a broad, all-encompassing and nationally led political process” to settle the fighting.

Nation Plunged into Conflict Since 2023

Sudan was engulfed in widespread violence in April 2023 when a power struggle between the army and the RSF escalated into open fighting in the city of Khartoum and elsewhere the country.

• The conflict has killed tens of thousands, a figure advocates regard as a low estimate.
• Recent hostilities has been concentrated in Kordofan, especially since paramilitary forces took control of El Fasher.
• The crisis has destroyed cities and has been characterized by atrocities, such as widespread sexual violence and ethnically motivated killings.
• These actions have been described as war crimes by the UN and rights groups.
• The situation has also precipitated the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and forced parts of the country into extreme hunger.