Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed in attack on UN base in Sudan

Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers have been killed, and eight others were injured in "a terrorist attack” on a UN base, the Bangladeshi army has said.

In a statement on Facebook on Saturday, the army said that the incident took place in Abyei and the fighting is ongoing.

There was no immediate comment from the UN mission.

In a statement, the Sudanese government condemned the attack that hit the UN facility.

The army-aligned government based in Port Sudan accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of being behind the attack.

In a statement, the Sovereignty Council headed by army chief General Abdel Fattah al Burhan called the attack a "dangerous escalation."

Volatile region

Bangladesh is one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions, and its troops have long been deployed in Abyei, a volatile region disputed between Sudan and South Sudan.

The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) peacekeeping mission was deployed in 2011.

The oil-rich Abyei Administrative Area is administered by South Sudan and Sudan, with both claiming stakes and having been embroiled in conflict for years.

The mission mandate was renewed last month.

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Source: TRT