RSF Militia Kidnaps (62) UN Soldiers

The United Nations announced that a logistics convoy belonging to the Interim Security Force for Abyei (ISFA) was detained by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Militia in West Kordofan State.

A number of civilian contractors were kidnapped and trucks loaded with diesel fuel were seized. According to a statement issued by the UN mission, the convoy, which included 23 vehicles and 66 members of the Joint Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JVM), left Abyei for Kadugli to collect 280,000 liters of diesel fuel. Upon arriving at the Nyama checkpoint, it was stopped by an armed group of 30 RSF militia members, who forced eight Kenyan civilian contractors working for the Lekoil company to get out of their trucks. Despite attempts at negotiation, the RSF militia forced the kidnapped drivers to drive the trucks to Babanusa, while holding 62 Bangladeshi peacekeepers in Nyama.

After intensive efforts, the kidnapped drivers were released after 34 hours of detention, but the trucks have not yet been returned and remain held at an unknown location.

The United Nations estimated the value of the seized fuel at approximately $520,000.

The Spokesperson for the Secretary-General expressed the United Nations’ deep concern about this escalation, stressing that attacks against peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.