The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday strongly denounced the “heinous” attack that killed six United Nations (UN) peacekeepers from Bangladesh in Sudan’s Kadugli, stressing the need to bring the perpetrators to justice.
According to Bangladesh’s armed forces, at least six Bangladeshi peacekeepers lost their lives and eight others were injured after a drone strike targeted a UN base on Saturday in the disputed Abyei region between Sudan and South Sudan.
In its statement, the FO said, “Pakistan condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the heinous attack against UN peacekeepers in Kadugli, Sudan, which has resulted in the tragic deaths of six peacekeepers from Bangladesh serving with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (Unisfa), and injuries to several others.”
The statement conveyed Pakistan’s deepest sympathies to the government and people of Bangladesh over the loss of lives and reaffirmed solidarity with the grieving families.
Highlighting the role of UN missions, the FO noted, “UN peacekeepers remain at the forefront of international efforts to prevent conflict, protect civilians, and support peace under the UN flag.”
It further added, “We pay homage to the ultimate sacrifice made by these Blue Helmets in the line of duty for peace and stability in the region.”
Calling the incident a “cowardly attack,” the FO urged a prompt and transparent investigation to identify those responsible and ensure accountability. It also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to working with members of the UN Security Council and the wider international community to safeguard UN peacekeepers.
Bangladesh remains one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping operations, with its forces long deployed in conflict-prone regions.
Earlier, on Sunday, Bangladesh’s armed forces’ public relations wing stated, “A drone attack was carried out by separatist armed groups on the Kadugali Logistics Base under the UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei, Sudan yesterday (Saturday) from approximately 3:40pm to 3:50pm local time.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the attack in a post on X, offering condolences to the families of the fallen and wishing a swift recovery to the injured.
“Attacks against UN peacekeepers like this one are unjustifiable & may constitute war crimes. I remind everyone of their obligation to protect UN personnel and civilians,” he said.
