Drone Strike Kills Six UN Peacekeepers in Sudan’s Kadugli

A drone strike on a United Nations facility in Sudan’s Kadugli city on Saturday killed six peacekeepers, all Bangladeshi nationals, and wounded eight others, UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres said.

The Strike

The attack targeted the peacekeeping logistics base in Kadugli, located in the central region of Kordofan. Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) were killed, and eight others were injured.

UN Response

Guterres said: “Attacks targeting United Nations peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law,” and added that the “unjustifiable” attack must be held accountable. He called on those responsible to face justice.

Military Accusations

The Sudanese military blamed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group engaged in a two‑year conflict with the army for control of the country. The military posted a video on social media showing dense black smoke over the UN facility and stated: “The attack ‘clearly reveals the subversive approach of the rebel militia and those behind it,'”.

Broader Conflict

The war began in April 2023 when a power struggle between the army and the RSF erupted into open fighting in Khartoum and other parts of Sudan. The fighting has killed over 40,000 people, a figure rights groups consider a significant undercount. Since the RSF took control of el‑Fasher, the army’s last stronghold in western Darfur, the conflict has centered on Kodrofan.

The war has devastated urban areas and included atrocities such as mass rape and ethnically motivated killings. The United Nations and rights groups have described these actions as war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly in western Darfur. The crisis has become the world’s worst humanitarian emergency, with parts of the country facing famine.

Call for a Ceasefire

Guterres urged an immediate ceasefire in Sudan to enable a comprehensive, inclusive, and Sudanese‑owned political process that could resolve the conflict in the northeast African country.

Key Takeaways

• Six UN peacekeepers were killed in a drone strike on a UN base in Kadugli.
• The Sudanese military accuses the RSF of the attack, while the RSF has not commented.
• The conflict has killed over 40,000 people and created a severe humanitarian crisis.

The incident underscores the peril faced by UN personnel in Sudan and the urgent need for accountability and a lasting ceasefire to address the broader conflict.