Two UN peacekeepers from Ethiopia have lost their lives and seven other people have been injured in an ambush that took place this Monday in Jonglei State, South Sudan, raising to nine the number of peacekeepers who have died in the line of duty worldwide so far this year, according to the United Nations.
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Among the injured were three UN peacekeepers, two South Sudanese police officers, and two civilian staff members, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported at a press conference.
Dujarric stated that the attack was carried out by unidentified armed men and that the patrol appeared to have been the target of a deliberate attack. “These patrols are part of the regular patrols that the UN carries out to try to alleviate the ongoing insecurity in the area,” Dujarric noted.
The UN has urged the competent authorities to conduct a thorough and swift investigation to ensure that all those responsible are brought to justice, Dujarric added, emphasizing that “attacks against UN peacekeeping forces may constitute war crimes under international law.”
The latest acts of violence “raise to nine the number of peacekeepers who have died in malicious acts since January 1 of this year,” added the spokesperson for António Guterres, the organization’s Secretary-General.
Attacks against UN personnel are rare but have precedents in South Sudan, where UN patrols operate in unstable areas affected by intercommunal clashes, armed youth mobilizations, and confrontations involving government forces.
In June, the UN Security Council approved a resolution aimed at strengthening accountability for attacks against UN peacekeeping personnel, amid concerns about rising violence and low prosecution rates.
This followed a series of incidents targeting UN personnel, including the killing of seven peacekeepers serving in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), following the outbreak of a new round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in early March.