The United Nations Security Council on Thursday condemned in the strongest terms the July 16, 2019 attack by unknown assailants on its peacekeepers in Abyei.
The Amiet market incident, the UN said, resulted in the death of one peacekeeper, five civilians and a peacekeeper was severely injured.
The Amiet common market was established to sustain peace between the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya tribes in the area.
“The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy to the family of the peacekeeper killed, the Government of Ethiopia, and the families of civilian victims. The members of the Security Council wished a speedy recovery to those injured,” partly reads the statement extended to Radio Tamazuj.
The Security Council urged the governments of Sudan and South Sudan, with the assistance of UNISFA, to swiftly investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Attack on peacekeepers, the UN said, may constitute war crimes, stressing that those responsible for the attack be held accountable.
Meanwhile, the 15-member Council reiterated its full support for UNISFA, calling on the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to provide full support to the peacekeeping force in Abyei.
The Council also underscored that continued cooperation between the governments of Sudan and South Sudan is critical for peace, security, and stability, and the future relations between them.
UN peacekeepers in the disputed region of Abyei, known as UNISFA, have been active in the area since 2011.
UNISFA’s establishment came after Sudan’s government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) reached an agreement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to demilitarise Abyei and let Ethiopian troops monitor the area.