NEW YORK – The U.N. Security Council has condemned the Oct. 19 drone attacks near Amiet Market and Todach in the disputed Abyei region, calling for an immediate and transparent investigation and accountability for those responsible.
Council members said the attacks killed and injured civilians, including women and children, and warned that the casualty toll could rise as the U.N. Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) continues verifying the impact.
They expressed condolences to the families of those killed and to affected communities and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
The Security Council stressed that civilians and civilian objects are protected under international humanitarian law and warned that attacks deliberately targeting them could constitute war crimes.
Members called for a full, transparent and immediate investigation to establish responsibility and ensure accountability.
The statement comes amid growing tensions between Sudan and South Sudan following the attack on Amiet Market, one of Abyei’s most important commercial centres.
The market serves communities across the disputed region and is a major hub for food, fuel, medicines and construction materials. It has also become important for people displaced by Sudan’s war.
South Sudan summoned Sudan’s ambassador in Juba on Oct. 19 to protest the attack and accused the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) of carrying it out.
Juba said the strike threatened civilian lives and risked further destabilizing the border region.
Sudan rejected the accusation on Oct. 22, saying the SAF had no involvement in the attack. Khartoum expressed regret over the casualties and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
The United Nations has not publicly attributed responsibility for the attack.
The Security Council also reiterated that Abyei must remain demilitarized and free of armed forces other than UNISFA.
It called on all parties to halt military operations in the area, withdraw unauthorized forces and cooperate with the U.N. mission to protect civilians, humanitarian personnel and peacekeepers.
Abyei has remained disputed between Sudan and South Sudan since South Sudan gained independence in 2011, with the territory’s final status still unresolved.
UNISFA was deployed to monitor security arrangements in the area and support civilian protection under interim agreements between Khartoum and Juba.
The council reaffirmed its support for the mission and urged all parties to exercise restraint and resolve disputes through dialogue and diplomacy to prevent further escalation.
