UN Security Council condemns drone attacks on UN peacekeepers in Sudan

The United Nations Security Council has voiced its strongest condemnation of last week’s deadly drone strikes on a UN logistics base in Sudan, an attack that claimed the lives of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and left nine others wounded, casting a dark shadow over international peacekeeping efforts.

In a solemn press statement issued on Friday, council members expressed profound condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers, as well as to the government and people of Bangladesh, while wishing a swift and complete recovery to those injured in the assault.

The drone attack struck a UN facility in Kadugli, in Sudan’s troubled South Kordofan state, on Saturday, targeting personnel serving with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The council said the deliberate nature of the strike amounted to an egregious disregard for international law and posed a serious threat to international peace and security.

Denouncing the attack in the strongest possible terms, council members condemned the targeting of UN peacekeepers and all provocations against UNISFA, demanding that those responsible be swiftly identified and held accountable.

They reiterated that assaults on peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law, reminding all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law. The council called on the United Nations to conduct a prompt investigation into the incident, with the support of UNISFA, and to keep Bangladesh, the troop-contributing country, fully informed of the inquiry’s progress.

The statement also urged host authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of UN premises, personnel and peacekeepers, while calling on both Sudan and South Sudan to extend full cooperation to UNISFA and its operations.

Council members further underscored the urgent need for deeper cooperation between Sudan and South Sudan to restore peace, security and stability in Abyei, the long-disputed border region between the two nations.

Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal conflict since 15 April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a war that has killed tens of thousands and driven millions from their homes, both within the country and across its borders.

With IANS inputs