Six United Nations peacekeepers from Bangladesh have been killed in a drone attack in Sudan, marking one of the deadliest incidents involving international forces since the country’s conflict escalated.
Sudan’s military blamed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for carrying out the strike, which reportedly targeted a UN position. The RSF has denied responsibility, deepening uncertainty over accountability as fighting continues across large parts of the country.
The attack drew strong condemnation from the United Nations. Secretary-General António Guterres described the killing of peacekeepers as unacceptable and warned that such actions “may constitute war crimes” under international law. He reiterated that UN personnel are protected under international humanitarian conventions and must never be deliberately targeted.
The fallen peacekeepers were part of a UN mission tasked with protecting civilians and supporting stability efforts amid Sudan’s prolonged conflict, which has displaced millions and severely strained humanitarian operations. Attacks on peacekeepers risk further undermining already fragile international efforts to deliver aid and contain the violence.
Bangladesh has long been one of the world’s largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions, and the deaths have prompted renewed calls for stronger protections for peacekeepers operating in high-risk environments.
As investigations continue, the incident adds to mounting international pressure on all parties in Sudan’s conflict to respect ceasefire commitments and uphold international humanitarian law.
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