A aerial bombardment hit a United Nations facility in war-torn Sudan on Saturday, resulting in the demise of six peacekeepers, per a declaration.
The incident targeted a UN facility in the city of Kadugli, situated in the mid-country region of Kordofan.
8 additional personnel were hurt in the assault. All the victims are citizens of Bangladesh, deployed with the United Nations mission in Abyei.
“Attacks against UN personnel could be war crimes under international law,” the statement said, demanding the culprits for the “unacceptable” strike to be brought to justice.
Military Points Finger at Paramilitary Group
The national army attributed the strike on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a prominent armed faction that has been at war with the army for control of the country for over 24 months.
The attack “clearly reveals the rebellious approach of the paramilitary group and its supporters,” the army said in a statement.
Background of the Disputed Area
The oil-rich Abyei is a disputed area between Sudan and its southern neighbor, and the UN mission has been stationed there since 2011, when the south gained its independence from Sudan.
Demands for an urgent halt to fighting in Sudan were also expressed to allow “a wide-ranging, all-encompassing and locally driven peace process” to resolve the conflict.
Nation Plunged into Chaos Since 2023
Sudan was thrown into chaos in April 2023 when a political rivalry between the army and the RSF escalated into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum and elsewhere the country.
- The fighting has killed tens of thousands, a figure rights groups regard as a major underestimate.
- Recent combat has been concentrated in Kordofan, especially since fighters took control of El Fasher.
- The conflict has destroyed urban areas and has been noted for horrors, including systematic rape and killings based on ethnicity.
- These acts have been labeled war crimes by international bodies.
- The conflict has also precipitated the world’s worst humanitarian emergency and pushed parts of the country into extreme hunger.