A drone strike at a United Nations facility in Sudan on March 16, 2024, has resulted in the deaths of six peacekeepers. The attack occurred at a peacekeeping logistics base located in the city of Kadugli, situated in the central region of Kordofan. According to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, eight other peacekeepers sustained injuries in the incident. All victims were Bangladeshi nationals serving with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
In his statement, Guterres condemned the strike, asserting that “attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.” He called for accountability for those responsible for what he labeled an “unjustifiable” attack. The Sudanese military has attributed the strike to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group engaged in a prolonged conflict with the Sudanese army for control of the country. The RSF has not issued any immediate comments regarding the incident.
The Sudanese military described the attack as indicative of the “subversive approach of the rebel militia and those behind it.” Accompanying their statement, the military released a video showing thick black smoke rising over the U.N. facility, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Conflict in Sudan Escalates
The oil-rich region of Abyei has been a point of contention between Sudan and South Sudan, with a U.N. mission deployed there since 2011 following South Sudan’s independence. Guterres also urged for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan to facilitate a “comprehensive, inclusive, and Sudanese-owned political process” aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict.
The turmoil in Sudan intensified in April 2023, following a power struggle between military factions and the RSF that escalated into open conflict, particularly in the capital, Khartoum. The ongoing violence has resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 individuals, a figure that human rights organizations deem a substantial undercount. Recently, fighting has focused on Kordofan, especially since the RSF captured el-Fasher, the last military stronghold in the western region of Darfur.
The war has devastated urban areas and has been marked by severe human rights violations, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings. The U.N. and various rights groups have characterized these actions as war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly in the western region of Darfur. As a result, the conflict has triggered what is now considered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, pushing parts of Sudan into famine.
The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with calls for renewed dialogue and immediate humanitarian assistance to the affected populations.
