UN Condemns ‘Horrific’ Sudan Drone Strike That Killed Six Bangladeshi Peacekeepers

By Brian Kiprono - Reporter

New York, U.S., 14 December 2025 - The United Nations has condemned a deadly drone attack on its logistics base in Kadugli, South Kordofan, describing the incident as a “horrific” assault on personnel working to protect civilians in one of the world’s most volatile regions.

Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers serving under the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) were killed on Saturday when drones struck the facility. Eight others from the same contingent were injured. The victims had been part of a mission stationed in a disputed, oil-rich border region long plagued by insecurity and contested by Sudan and South Sudan.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “deeply saddened” by the loss and offered condolences to Bangladesh and to the families of the fallen soldiers. He stressed that any violence directed at peacekeepers “may constitute war crimes under international law”, insisting that those responsible must be held to account.

The Sudanese army swiftly blamed the attack on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the powerful paramilitary group with which it has been locked in a brutal civil conflict for nearly three years. The RSF has not publicly responded. Footage released by the Sudanese military showed thick plumes of smoke rising above the UN compound in Kadugli, underscoring the intensity of the strike.

Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, also voiced deep sorrow, urging the UN to ensure emergency support for the wounded and pledging government assistance to affected families. Bangladesh remains one of the UN’s largest troop contributors, with its forces widely respected for their long service in Abyei.

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The attack comes just weeks after the UN Security Council renewed UNISFA’s mandate for another year. Nearly 4,000 personnel currently serve in the mission, which is tasked with safeguarding civilians, supporting local policing structures and facilitating humanitarian aid.

Guterres renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, warning that the conflict – which has already killed tens of thousands of people and plunged communities into famine – cannot be resolved without an inclusive, Sudanese-led political process.

“The peacekeepers in Sudan serve under our flag in extremely dangerous conditions,” he said. “They are not – and must never become – targets.”