Drone strike rattles Abyei peace mission
A drone strike on 13 December killed six United Nations peacekeepers and wounded nine others at Kadugli, South Kordofan. UNISFA described the incident as “a grave violation of international law,” warning that such assaults jeopardise its fragile mandate in the Abyei border region.
Strategic withdrawal from Kadugli logistics hub
After a rapid security review, the mission air-lifted all staff and selected NGO partners out of Kadugli over the weekend, closing a compound that had housed logisticians, medics and engineers since 2011. The decision ends nearly thirteen years of continuous support operations.
Regional security and humanitarian stakes
Kadugli served as headquarters for the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism, mandated to oversee the Safe Demilitarized Border Zone agreed by Sudan and South Sudan in 2012. Observers fear the pull-back could disrupt cross-border trade corridors and delay humanitarian deliveries to isolated communities.
Investigation and future deployment scenarios
UNISFA says investigators remain on the ground, liaising with Sudanese and South Sudanese authorities to identify the perpetrators and gauge evolving threats. The mission maintains smaller sites in Tishwin and Abu Qussa and insists it will continue safeguarding civilians while awaiting additional guidance from New York.