Unmanned Attack on United Nations Compound in Conflict-Ravaged Sudan Claims Six Peacekeepers

A aerial bombardment struck a United Nations logistics base in conflict-ridden Sudan on Saturday, leading to the deaths of six peacekeeping personnel, as stated by a declaration.

The attack targeted a UN outpost in the city of Kadugli, located in the central region of Kordofan.

8 additional peacekeepers were hurt in the assault. Each of the victims are Bangladeshi nationals, deployed with the United Nations mission in Abyei.

“Attacks against UN peacekeepers could amount to international crimes under international law,” it was declared, demanding those responsible for the “unjustifiable” attack to be held accountable.

Army Points Finger at Fighter Group

The government forces attributed the attack on the RSF fighters, a prominent armed faction that has been fighting with the army for dominance over the country for more than two years.

The strike “demonstrates the destructive tactics of the paramilitary group and its backers,” the military said in a communication.

Context of the Disputed Area

The oil-rich Abyei is a disputed territory between Sudan and its southern neighbor, and the peacekeeping force has been operating there since 2011, when South Sudan seceded from Sudan.

Appeals for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also expressed to allow “a wide-ranging, inclusive and Sudanese-owned dialogue” to settle the fighting.

Nation Engulfed in Chaos Since 2023

Sudan was engulfed in widespread violence in April 2023 when a power struggle between the army and the RSF exploded into full-scale combat in the capital, Khartoum and other parts the country.

• The fighting has taken over 40,000 lives, a toll human rights organizations believe a major underestimate.
• Recent fighting has been concentrated in Kordofan, particularly since fighters seized El Fasher.
• The war has devastated towns and has been characterized by atrocities, including widespread sexual violence and ethnically motivated killings.
• These acts have been called international crimes by international bodies.
• The conflict has also precipitated the globe's most dire humanitarian emergency and forced parts of the country into extreme hunger.