A aerial bombardment struck a UN facility in conflict-ridden Sudan on Saturday, causing the demise of six UN soldiers, as stated by a announcement.
The attack targeted a peacekeeping outpost in the city of Kadugli, found in the central region of Kordofan.
8 other soldiers were injured in the attack. All the casualties are citizens of Bangladesh, serving in the UN peacekeeping contingent in Abyei.
“Attacks against United Nations peacekeepers could amount to international crimes under international law,” the statement said, demanding the culprits for the “unjustifiable” strike to be brought to justice.
Army Accuses Fighter Group
The national army blamed the incident on the paramilitary RSF group, a prominent militia that has been engaged in conflict with the army for dominance over the country for since April 2023.
The strike “clearly reveals the subversive tactics of the paramilitary group and its backers,” the army said in a communication.
Background of the Disputed Region
The oil-rich Abyei is a claimed territory between Sudan and South Sudan, and the United Nations contingent has been stationed there since 2011, when the south gained its independence from Sudan.
Calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan were also expressed to allow “a broad, inclusive and nationally led dialogue” to address the conflict.
Nation Engulfed in Chaos Since 2023
Sudan was engulfed in chaos in April 2023 when a political rivalry between the military and the RSF escalated into direct clashes in the city of Khartoum and elsewhere the country.
- The fighting has killed tens of thousands, a toll rights groups believe a major underestimate.
- Recent combat has focused on Kordofan, notably since the RSF seized El Fasher.
- The conflict has destroyed urban areas and has been noted for grave abuses, like systematic rape and ethnic slaughter.
- These crimes have been described as crimes against humanity by international bodies.
- The situation has also created the globe's most dire humanitarian crisis and driven parts of the country into extreme hunger.
