UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has denounced a deadly drone attack on a United Nations facility in Sudan that claimed the lives of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers.
According to a UN statement, the attack occurred on Saturday at a peacekeeping logistics base at Kadugli in the central region of Kordofan.
Eight other peacekeepers were injured. All those victims were Bangladeshi personnel serving with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
In a statement Guterres said, “I strongly condemn the horrific drone attacks that targeted the United Nations peacekeeping logistics base in Kadugli, Sudan.”
He also warned that attacks targeting UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. He added, “Attacks as the one today in South Kordofan against peacekeepers are unjustifiable. There will need to be accountability.”
Guterres also renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire, stressing the need for “a comprehensive, inclusive and Sudanese-owned political process” to bring an end to the conflict.
The incident took place roughly a month after the UN Security Council approved a one-year extension of the UNISFA mission.
Bangladesh remains one of the leading contributors to UN peacekeeping operations, with its forces having a long-standing presence in the Abyei region.
UNISFA, which consists of around 4,000 police officers and soldiers, is responsible for civilian protection in an area that has frequently experienced armed violence.
