U.S. condemns deadly drone strike on UN peacekeepers in Sudan

U.S. condemns deadly drone strike on UN peacekeepers in Sudan
Reuters

The U.S. condemned a drone strike on a United Nations base in Kadugli, Sudan, on Saturday that killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and injured eight others.

Massad Boulos, U.S. senior adviser for Arab and African Affairs, called the attack an "egregious disregard for international efforts to protect peace and security" on X. He emphasised that warring parties must not target UN personnel, must cease hostilities immediately, and must allow unrestricted humanitarian access to those affected.

The attack occurred amid ongoing clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have raged since April 2023, causing thousands of deaths, millions of displaced people, and one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. The Sudanese army attributed the strike to the RSF, which has not yet commented.

The victims were serving with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), stationed in the contested, oil-rich border area between Sudan and South Sudan, a longstanding flashpoint. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the assault, calling it "unjustifiable" and warning it could constitute a war crime.

Tags