A drone strike has struck a United Nations logistics facility in central Sudan, resulting in the deaths of six peacekeepers and wounding eight others. All casualties are reported to be members of a Bangladeshi contingent serving with the UN mission in the region.
The attack occurred at a base in the city of Kadugli, located in the Kordofan area. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the strike, stating that assaults on UN personnel are unacceptable and may be investigated as potential war crimes. He called for the perpetrators to be held accountable.
The Sudanese armed forces have publicly accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of carrying out the attack. The RSF, engaged in a protracted conflict with the national army for over two years, has not issued a statement regarding the allegations.
The targeted UN mission operates in the oil-rich Abyei area, a territory whose status is contested between Sudan and neighboring South Sudan. Peacekeepers have been deployed there since South Sudan’s independence in 2011.
Secretary-General Guterres reiterated calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities across Sudan to pave the way for a political dialogue led by the Sudanese people themselves.
The nation descended into widespread violence in April 2023 following the collapse of a power-sharing arrangement between the military and the RSF. The ensuing war has caused tens of thousands of fatalities, devastated infrastructure, and triggered a severe humanitarian emergency, with warnings of famine in several regions.
Recent fighting has intensified in Kordofan. The conflict has been characterized by reports of widespread atrocities, including mass killings and sexual violence, which international bodies have described as possible war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The war has created the world’s largest displacement crisis and brought Sudan’s healthcare and food systems to the brink of collapse.