A Ghanaian peacekeeper was killed and several civilians were wounded in intercommunal violence in the disputed Abyei region on South Sudan’s border with Sudan, the United Nations said on Sunday.
The clashes occurred on Saturday in three locations in the Abyei area, where rival groups of the Dinka and Nuer ethnic communities have been locked in a long-standing conflict over land and resources.
The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) said in a statement that it had intervened to protect civilians and restore calm in the affected areas. It also evacuated the wounded to its bases and hospitals for treatment.
“During the fighting, one UNISFA base came under attack by an armed group. The mission repelled the attack, but tragically a Ghanaian peacekeeper was killed during the incident,” the statement said.
The UN mission said it was still verifying the number of people killed, injured, and displaced by the violence. It urged the parties to refrain from further hostilities and respect the agreements they had signed to maintain peace and stability in the region.
The Abyei region, rich in oil resources, has been a flashpoint of tension between Sudan and South Sudan, which declared independence from Sudan in 2011. The ownership of Abyei itself is disputed between the two countries, and a referendum to determine its fate has been repeatedly delayed.
The region is also home to the Ngok Dinka, who are affiliated with South Sudan, and the Misseriya, who are nomadic herders from Sudan. The two groups have clashed over grazing rights, water access, and political representation.
The UN has maintained a peacekeeping force in Abyei since 2011, with a mandate to protect civilians, monitor the border, and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. The force currently consists of about 3,500 troops, mainly from Ethiopia.
The UN Security Council condemned the attack on the peacekeepers and expressed its condolences to the family of the victim and the government of Ghana. It also called on the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to provide full support to UNISFA and to cooperate with the investigation of the incident.
The African Union (AU) also denounced the violence and urged the parties to respect the 2011 agreement that established a joint administration and police service for Abyei. It also called for the swift implementation of the 2020 agreement that aimed to resolve the outstanding issues related to the region’s final status.
The AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said in a statement that he was “deeply saddened” by the death of the peacekeeper and the civilian casualties. He commended UNISFA for its “valiant efforts” to protect the population and restore order.
He also reiterated the AU’s commitment to support the peace process in Abyei and to work with the UN and other partners to find a lasting solution to the dispute.
The violence in Abyei comes amid a fragile peace in South Sudan, which has been struggling to recover from a civil war that broke out in 2013 and killed nearly 400,000 people. A power-sharing deal signed in 2018 has largely halted the fighting, but the implementation of key reforms and security arrangements has been slow and marred by challenges.
Despite the challenges, the UN and the AU have expressed optimism that the peace agreement can pave the way for a brighter future for South Sudan and its people. They have also urged the international community to continue to support the country’s recovery and development efforts.
Source: Reuters
