UN Security Council weighs Abyei mission renewal after drone attacks

The UN Security Council discussed renewing its peacekeeping mission in Abyei on 5 November, with UN officials warning that violence is making the disputed territory harder to secure.

The mission’s mandate expires on 15 November. Abyei is claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan, and its final status remains unresolved. The UN established the force, known as UNISFA, in 2011.

UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix urged the council to ensure that the mission retains the flexibility and operational capacity to address emerging threats and prevent regional conflicts from spilling into Abyei. Drone attacks near Amiet Market and Todach on 19 October killed and injured civilians.

Council members expressed support for the mission but differed in emphasis. The US representative called for stronger benchmarks to hold the parties and the UN accountable, as well as the rapid deployment of a first UN police unit. Russia’s representative said closing or reducing the mission would be premature and looked forward to its mandate being extended.

The existing mandate, agreed in 2025, already sets objectives including demilitarisation, police deployment and the appointment of a civilian deputy mission chief. The UK said there had been progress towards deploying the first police unit and appointing the deputy, but that much more remained to be done. It called on Sudan and South Sudan to give UNISFA the access and support it needs.

South Sudan’s representative called for an impartial, UN-led investigation into the drone attack near Amiet Market. Council members had already called on 23 October for a full, transparent and prompt investigation into the attacks. UN envoy Guang Cong also called for an independent investigation, Radio Tamazuj reported.

The meeting exposed continuing political disagreements. Sudan objected to South Sudan’s decision to include Abyei in its December elections, saying it would undermine the territory’s legal status. South Sudan’s representative said the rights and interests of the Ngok Dinka community could not be disregarded while Abyei’s status remained unresolved.