A drone strike targeted a United Nations logistics facility in Sudan, resulting in the deaths of six peacekeepers and wounding eight others. The attack occurred in the city of Kadugli, located in the central Kordofan region.
All casualties are reported to be members of the Bangladeshi contingent serving with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The UN Secretary-General condemned the strike as “unjustifiable,” stating that assaults on UN personnel could be considered war crimes under international law and demanding accountability for those responsible.
Sudan’s military has attributed the attack to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group engaged in a protracted conflict with the national army for over two years. The RSF has not issued an immediate response to the allegation. The military released footage purportedly showing thick smoke rising from the UN compound following the strike.
The UN mission has been stationed in the oil-rich, disputed Abyei region since 2011. The Secretary-General reiterated calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities to facilitate a political resolution to the wider conflict.
Sudan descended into violence in April 2023 following the collapse of a power-sharing arrangement between the military and the RSF. The fighting, which has displaced millions and devastated infrastructure, has resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities, with humanitarian organizations warning the actual death toll is likely far higher.
The conflict has recently intensified in the Kordofan region and has been characterized by widespread reports of atrocities, including mass killings and sexual violence, which international bodies have described as potential war crimes and crimes against humanity. The war has also triggered a severe humanitarian catastrophe, with parts of the country facing famine conditions.
