A drone attack targeting a United Nations logistics base in Kadugli, the capital of Sudan’s South Kordofan state, killed six UN peacekeepers and injured eight others on Saturday, UN officials confirmed.

All of the casualties were members of the Bangladeshi contingent serving with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

The attack occurred in a region that has been gripped by intense fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have been at war for nearly three years. Kadugli lies near the oil-rich Abyei region, a disputed territory between Sudan and South Sudan that has remained volatile since the two countries separated in 2011.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned what he described as a “horrific” attack, offering his deepest condolences to the government and people of Bangladesh and to the families of the fallen peacekeepers. He also wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

“Attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law,” Guterres said in a statement, reminding all parties to the conflict of their obligation to protect UN personnel and civilians.

“Attacks like the one carried out today in South Kordofan against peacekeepers are unjustifiable. There will need to be accountability,” he added.

Expressing solidarity with peacekeepers serving in some of the world’s most dangerous environments, the Secretary-General renewed his call on Sudan’s warring parties to halt the violence.

“I reiterate my call on the warring parties to agree on an immediate cessation of hostilities and to resume talks aimed at achieving a lasting ceasefire and a comprehensive, inclusive, and Sudanese-owned political process,” Guterres said.

In a separate social media post, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for UN Peace Operations, said he was “shocked” by the attack, emphasizing that “UN peacekeepers are not a target.” He echoed concerns that the strike may amount to a war crime under international law.

UNISFA was established in 2011 following Sudan’s partition and the unresolved status of Abyei. Its mandate, recently extended for another year, includes monitoring and verifying the redeployment of forces from the region, strengthening the Abyei Police Service, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and protecting civilians.

The mission is composed of nearly 4,000 military and police personnel, along with civilian staff, operating amid escalating insecurity fueled by Sudan’s ongoing conflict.

The attack marks one of the deadliest incidents involving UN peacekeepers in Sudan since the outbreak of the current war, raising renewed concerns over the safety of international forces and the deteriorating security situation in the country. (ILKHA)