ABYEI – Dozens of people were killed or injured in the Oct. 19 drone attacks near Amiet Market and Todach in Abyei, while others remain missing and the casualty toll is expected to rise, the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) said.
UNISFA said casualty assessments and evacuations were continuing after the attacks, which occurred about 15 kilometres from Abyei town. The mission did not identify who carried out the strikes.
The latest U.N. assessment provides a broader picture of the casualties two days after the attack, as local authorities continue efforts to account for victims and people reported missing.
South Sudan has separately summoned Sudan’s ambassador in Juba to protest the strike. South Sudanese authorities and officials in Abyei have blamed the Sudanese Armed Forces for the attack, while responsibility has not been independently established.
The U.N. Secretary-General condemned the strikes and called on both Sudan and South Sudan to take steps to prevent further attacks and preserve Abyei’s demilitarized status.
Abyei remains disputed between Sudan and South Sudan, with its final political status unresolved since South Sudan gained independence in 2011. The area has remained under the presence of UNISFA, which was deployed to help maintain security and protect civilians.
Amiet Market is one of the region’s main commercial centres and serves communities from both sides of the Sudan-South Sudan border, including Ngok Dinka and Misseriya traders.
The market had already experienced deadly violence before the drone attack. In September, clashes linked to tensions between local communities left 153 people dead and 82 injured, prompting UNISFA to reinforce its presence around the trading centre.
The Oct. 19 attack therefore adds a new layer of insecurity to an area already facing longstanding political disputes, communal tensions and the spillover effects of Sudan’s war.
UNISFA said the latest drone attack represented a serious threat to peace and security in Abyei and expressed concern over civilians being targeted.
Peacekeepers have intensified day and night patrols, provided emergency medical assistance and supported the evacuation of casualties. The mission said its personnel had also extinguished most of the large fires in the affected area.
The attack also comes amid the growing use of drones in Sudan’s war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, with long-range strikes increasingly reaching areas far from conventional front lines.
UNISFA urged all parties to refrain from retaliatory actions that could endanger more civilians or further undermine security in Abyei.
