The United Nations has endured a week of tragedy, with six peacekeepers killed in a drone strike in Sudan, an interpreter dying in South Sudan custody, and 10 staffers detained by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Drone Strike in Sudan
On Dec. 13, a U.N. logistics base in the war-torn South Kordofan region was hit by a drone attack that killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and injured nine others. The U.N. Security Council condemned the strike as “the heinous and deliberate” assault and called it “an egregious disregard for international law.” It urged a swift investigation and warned that attacks on peacekeepers could amount to war crimes.
Interpreter Tragedy in South Sudan
The U.N. mission in South Sudan lost an interpreter, Bol Roch Mayol, who had served since 2011. He was taken from a U.N. vehicle on Monday by local security forces. The mission was negotiating his release when it learned he had died in custody. “The U.N. called for those responsible to be held accountable,” Dujarric said.
Saninto Udol, a South Sudanese police spokesman, said Army Lt. Lino Mariak Chol and two other soldiers were arrested after admitting to Mayol’s killing and revealing the whereabouts of his body. It was found in a residential area Thursday, Udol said. Mayol had been seized by five soldiers during a routine patrol to a displacement camp near Wau after his vehicle stopped on a road with a flat tire, Udol added.
Detention by Yemen’s Houthi Rebels
Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who control Sanaa and much of the north, detained 10 more U.N. staffers on Thursday, raising the total number held to 69. “Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemns their arbitrary detention, calls for their immediate and unconditional release along with dozens of other detainees from nongovernmental organizations, civil society and diplomatic missions,” Dujarric said. Guterres also demanded that charges against three U.N. staffers who were recently referred to a Houthi special criminal court be dropped. The court in late November convicted 17 people of spying for foreign governments, part of a years-long Houthi crackdown on Yemeni staffers working for foreign organizations.
U.N. Perspective on Growing Threats
“It’s a very worrying trend,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Friday. “We see all too often that the U.N. flag – the U.N. emblem – no longer offers the protection that it should to our colleagues.” He cited more than 300 U.N. staff members killed during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, almost all Palestinians, and over 300 personnel killed during the 10-year U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali, which ended in December 2023. “U.N. personnel, whether they are humanitarian, whether they are peacekeepers, whether they’re political envoys, are there for peace,” Dujarric said. “They are there for the people. They need to be respected.”
Key Takeaways
- Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers lost in a Sudan drone strike.
- Interpreter Bol Roch Mayol died in South Sudan custody after being seized by security forces.
- Yemen’s Houthi rebels detained 10 additional U.N. staffers, bringing the total to 69.
- The U.N. Security Council condemned the Sudan attack and called for accountability.
- The U.N. stresses that its emblem no longer guarantees safety for its personnel.
The week’s events underscore the escalating dangers faced by U.N. staff worldwide and the urgent need for renewed protection measures and accountability for those who threaten them.
