Aerial Assault on UN Facility in Conflict-Ravaged Sudan Kills Six Peacekeepers
A aerial bombardment hit a UN compound in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, resulting in the loss of six UN soldiers, as stated by a declaration.
The incident occurred at a peacekeeping logistics base in the city of Kadugli, found in the central region of Kordofan.
8 additional peacekeepers were wounded in the attack. Each of the those affected are citizens of Bangladesh, serving in the United Nations mission in Abyei.
“Assaults targeting United Nations peacekeepers could be war crimes under international law,” the statement said, calling for the culprits for the “unacceptable” strike to be brought to justice.
Military Points Finger at Fighter Faction
The national army attributed the strike on the RSF fighters, a well-known militia that has been fighting with the military for control of the country for more than two years.
The attack “clearly reveals the subversive nature of the armed faction and those behind it,” the military said in a statement.
Background of the Contested Region
The oil-rich Abyei is a disputed region between Sudan and its southern neighbor, and the peacekeeping force has been stationed there since 2011, when the south seceded from Sudan.
Calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also expressed to allow “a comprehensive, all-encompassing and locally driven peace process” to address the conflict.
Country Engulfed in Chaos Since 2023
Sudan was plunged into widespread violence in April 2023 when a power struggle between the army and the RSF exploded into full-scale combat in the city of Khartoum and elsewhere the country.
- The war has claimed over 40,000 lives, a figure rights groups regard as a low estimate.
- Recent hostilities has been concentrated in Kordofan, especially since fighters seized El Fasher.
- The war has devastated towns and has been characterized by grave abuses, such as mass rape and ethnic slaughter.
- These acts have been labeled international crimes by the UN and rights groups.
- The war has also caused the world’s worst humanitarian disaster and driven parts of the country into famine.
