Unmanned Assault on United Nations Facility in Conflict-Ravaged Sudan Leaves Six UN Personnel
A aerial bombardment hit a United Nations facility in conflict-ridden Sudan on Saturday, leading to the demise of six UN soldiers, per a declaration.
The strike occurred at a peacekeeping facility in the city of Kadugli, situated in the central region of Kordofan.
8 other personnel were injured in the assault. All the victims are citizens of Bangladesh, serving in the UN interim security force for Abyei (Unisfa).
“Strikes targeting UN peacekeepers could be war crimes under global statutes,” it was declared, urging those responsible for the “inexcusable” strike to be held accountable.
Army Accuses Fighter Group
The government forces assigned responsibility for the incident on the RSF fighters, a well-known armed faction that has been at war with the government troops for dominance over the country for since April 2023.
The attack “clearly reveals the subversive approach of the armed faction and its supporters,” the army said in a statement.
Context of the Disputed Region
The resource-abundant Abyei is a contested territory between Sudan and its southern neighbor, and the peacekeeping force has been stationed there since 2011, when South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan.
Demands for an swift truce in Sudan were also expressed to allow “a comprehensive, inclusive and locally driven peace process” to resolve the war.
Country Engulfed in Chaos Since 2023
Sudan was engulfed in widespread violence in April 2023 when a power struggle between the army and the RSF escalated into direct clashes in the national capital and other parts the country.
- The fighting has claimed more than 40,000 people, a figure advocates regard as a low estimate.
- Recent hostilities has been concentrated in Kordofan, especially since fighters captured El Fasher.
- The crisis has devastated urban areas and has been marked by horrors, like mass rape and killings based on ethnicity.
- These actions have been called war crimes by international bodies.
- The war has also created the world’s worst humanitarian emergency and forced parts of the country into starvation.
