UN Condemns Devastating Drone Attacks in Sudan

Geneva, October 21 (Daily Kiran) : The United Nations has issued a strong condemnation of the ongoing drone attacks targeting residential areas and critical infrastructure in Sudan. This statement comes in light of recent events that have resulted in significant civilian casualties.

On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported that a drone strike on a market in the Al Dabab area of West Kordofan state on Sunday resulted in multiple fatalities. Dujarric emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “We condemn this attack in the strongest terms.” He noted that this incident is part of a troubling trend of escalating drone assaults across the country, which have caused considerable damage to vital infrastructure. These attacks have had devastating effects on communities already suffering from more than three years of conflict.

According to Xinhua News Agency, a drone crashed into a residential area in Khartoum on Monday, killing three children aged between two and six, along with their father. Additionally, a drone attack on a residential home in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur state, resulted in multiple civilian casualties and damage to nearby houses. Dujarric reported that drone strikes in Tandelti, White Nile state, also caused damage to a main power station.

He reiterated the importance of protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure under international humanitarian law. “All parties must take constant care to avoid harm to civilians and civilian property during military operations,” he stated.

Furthermore, Dujarric condemned a series of drone attacks across the southern border into the Abyei area, which lies between Sudan and South Sudan. These attacks, which occurred on Monday, resulted in the deaths of 28 civilians in the Amit Market and Todach areas, with several others injured and many still unaccounted for.

Dujarric also mentioned that the UN special envoy, Pekka Haavisto, is in Geneva to participate in the sixth consultative meeting aimed at enhancing coordination for peace initiatives in Sudan. The goal of this meeting is to foster a shared understanding of recent developments to find a resolution to the ongoing civil war that has persisted for over three years.

Notably, representatives from neither the Sudanese government nor the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) will attend the Geneva meeting, as the platform was originally established to improve coordination among mediators.