United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned the horrific drone attack on Saturday that targeted a logistics base of the UN peacekeeping mission in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan State in Sudan. The deadly attack killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers, marking a dangerous escalation that threatens the safety of international missions in the region.
In an official statement, Guterres said, "I strongly condemn the horrific drone attack targeting the UN peacekeeping mission's logistics base in Kadugli, Sudan." The Secretary-General stressed the need to respect the inviolability of UN premises and the safety of its personnel, reiterating his urgent appeal to all parties to the conflict in Sudan to "immediately cease hostilities" and return to dialogue to end the escalating humanitarian crisis.
This incident comes amid a widespread deterioration in security in Sudan since the outbreak of armed conflict in mid-April 2023 between the Sudanese army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). This ongoing conflict has killed thousands and displaced millions, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with large segments of the Sudanese population facing the threat of famine and a lack of basic services.
The city of Kadugli holds particular strategic importance, as it is under siege by the Rapid Support Forces, which complicates the delivery of humanitarian aid and increases the risks faced by UN missions operating there. Targeting peacekeepers constitutes a potential war crime under international law, as international conventions stipulate the protection of UN personnel and aid workers during armed conflicts, thus placing warring parties under international legal obligations.
Observers believe this attack could negatively impact UN operations in the region, particularly given the critical need for the logistical and humanitarian support these bases provide. The international community fears that continued targeting of UN facilities will curtail humanitarian operations, exacerbating the suffering of civilians trapped in conflict zones and further complicating the Sudanese situation, which now requires more decisive international intervention to enforce a ceasefire.
