Pakistan condemns ‘heinous’ drone attack on UN peacekeepers in Sudan

• FO expresses condolences over death of Bangladeshi peacekeepers.
• Pakistan calls for probe into attack on UN peacekeepers in Sudan.
• Islamabad pays homage to sacrifices made by Blue Helmets.
  

Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned the brutal attack on UN peacekeepers in Kadugli, Sudan, which claimed the lives of six Bangladeshi personnel serving with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and left several others injured.

At least six United Nations peacekeepers from Bangladesh were killed on Saturday in a drone strike on Sudan’s southern Kordofan region, the UN mission said, with Dhaka sharply condemning the attack.

“Pakistan expresses its deepest condolences to the government and people of Bangladesh on the loss of these precious lives, and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families in this tragic hour,”  the Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said in a statement.

He said that the UN peacekeepers remained at the forefront of international efforts to prevent conflict, protect civilians, and support peace under the UN flag.

“We pay homage to the ultimate sacrifice made by these Blue Helmets in the line of duty for peace and stability in the region. Pakistan calls for a swift investigation to identify the perpetrators of this cowardly attack and to hold those responsible accountable,” he added.

The spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan would continue to work closely with members of the UN Security Council and the international community to ensure the safety and security of all UN peacekeepers.

Meanwhile, UN chief Antonio Guterres also condemned the “horrific” attack, saying it “may constitute war crimes under international law”.

“Attacks as the one today in South Kordofan against peacekeepers, are unjustifiable. There will need to be accountability,” he said in a statement.

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus, in a statement, said he was “deeply saddened” by the attack, and put the toll at six dead and eight wounded.

He asked the UN to ensure that his country´s personnel were offered “any necessary emergency support”.

“The government of Bangladesh will stand by the families in this difficult moment,” Yunus added.

Dhaka’s foreign ministry said it “strongly condemned” the attack.

UN peacekeepers are deployed to Abyei, a disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan.