Drone strikes are a new threat in Abyei, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix tells the Security Council

5 November 2026

Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix briefed the Security Council on Abyei, the disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan.
He said drone strikes have added a new and concerning dimension to security there and were the first such attacks in Abyei.
The strikes of 19 October killed at least 30 people, injured about 59, started large fires and drove civilians from their homes.
Whether that toll is in fact higher is still being checked on the ground.
Earlier violence on 15 September in and around the Amiet Common Market, involving Ngok Dinka, Misseriya and Nuba communities, left 124 dead and 40 injured.
Recorded security incidents fell about 32 per cent year on year and this year's cattle migration passed without related deaths.
Special Envoy Guang Cong called the October strikes among the deadliest in Abyei's history and asked for a prompt independent investigation and respect for the area's demilitarized status.
Lacroix said conditions for major changes to the mission's mandate do not yet exist and asked for better protection against aerial threats.