Unmanned Assault on United Nations Base in War-Torn Sudan Claims 6 UN Personnel
A aerial bombardment struck a UN compound in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, leading to the loss of six peacekeeping personnel, according to a announcement.
The incident impacted a peacekeeping outpost in the city of Kadugli, found in the central region of Kordofan.
8 other soldiers were injured in the strike. All the victims are Bangladeshi nationals, serving in the UN peacekeeping contingent in Abyei.
“Attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers could amount to war crimes under international law,” it was declared, calling for the culprits for the “inexcusable” attack to be brought to justice.
Military Points Finger at Paramilitary Faction
The national army attributed the incident on the RSF fighters, a well-known paramilitary group that has been fighting with the military for power in the country for more than two years.
The strike “demonstrates the rebellious nature of the rebel militia and its backers,” the army said in a statement.
Context of the Disputed Region
The resource-abundant Abyei is a disputed area between Sudan and its southern neighbor, and the United Nations contingent has been deployed there since 2011, when the south gained its independence from Sudan.
Appeals for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also made to allow “a broad, inclusive and nationally led peace process” to settle the conflict.
Country Plunged into Chaos Since 2023
Sudan was plunged into widespread violence in April 2023 when a dispute for control between the military and the RSF escalated into full-scale combat in the capital, Khartoum and across the country.
- The war has claimed more than 40,000 people, a figure rights groups regard as a significant undercount.
- Recent combat has focused on Kordofan, notably since the RSF took control of El Fasher.
- The crisis has devastated cities and has been marked by atrocities, including systematic rape and killings based on ethnicity.
- These actions have been labeled war crimes by international bodies.
- The conflict has also created the planet's most severe humanitarian crisis and forced parts of the country into extreme hunger.
