Ambush in South Sudan kills peacekeeping troops

Two Ethiopian UN peacekeepers lost their lives on Monday while conducting routine patrols in South Sudan's Jonglei State, according to the United Nations. The ambush resulted in seven others being injured, including three UN peacekeepers, two South Sudanese police officers, and two civilian staff members. A U.N. spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, confirmed the attack was perpetrated by unidentified gunmen, suggesting the patrol was deliberately targeted.

Dujarric emphasized that the UN has called for a thorough investigation to ensure accountability for the perpetrators, stressing that such attacks may constitute war crimes under international law. This incident brings to nine the total number of peacekeepers killed in malicious acts since the beginning of the year. South Sudan has seen its share of violence, with UN patrols operating in areas plagued by intercommunal conflicts, armed youth mobilizations, and clashes involving government forces.

In June, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution aimed at enhancing accountability for attacks on UN peacekeepers, responding to growing violence and low prosecution rates following a series of incidents, including the killing of seven peacekeepers in Lebanon in early March due to renewed hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.