Aerial Attack on UN Facility in War-Torn Sudan Claims Six Peacekeepers

A aerial bombardment hit a UN facility in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, resulting in the loss of six peacekeepers, according to a announcement.

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

8 additional personnel were hurt in the attack. All the victims are citizens of Bangladesh, deployed with the UN peacekeeping contingent in Abyei.

“Assaults against United Nations peacekeepers could be international crimes under global statutes,” the statement said, calling for those responsible for the “inexcusable” strike to be brought to justice.

Army Points Finger at Fighter Faction

The national army attributed the attack on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a well-known armed faction that has been fighting with the army for control of the country for more than two years.

The strike “demonstrates the destructive approach of the rebel militia and its supporters,” the military said in a communication.

Background of the Disputed Area

The resource-abundant Abyei is a contested area between Sudan and South Sudan, and the UN mission has been stationed there since 2011, when the south seceded from Sudan.

Appeals for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also made to allow “a comprehensive, all-encompassing and locally driven peace process” to settle the war.

Nation Engulfed in Chaos Since 2023

Sudan was engulfed in chaos in April 2023 when a political rivalry between the military and the RSF turned into full-scale combat in the capital, Khartoum and elsewhere the country.

• The conflict has taken more than 40,000 people, a toll human rights organizations believe a significant undercount.
• Recent hostilities has focused on Kordofan, notably since paramilitary forces captured El Fasher.
• The crisis has devastated urban areas and has been characterized by atrocities, such as widespread sexual violence and ethnically motivated killings.
• These actions have been called international crimes by the UN and rights groups.
• The conflict has also created the world’s worst humanitarian disaster and driven parts of the country into famine.