Abyei residents protest deadly drone strike on Amiet market
Residents of the Abyei Administrative Area staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday, condemning a drone strike on Amiet Joint Market that reportedly killed dozens of people on Monday.
The market is located about 10 kilometers north of Abyei town, in the disputed area between Sudan and South Sudan.
The South Sudanese government has condemned the attack and said it had summoned the Sudanese ambassador over the incident.
The protest brought together community leaders, civil society representatives, youth and women, who called for stronger protection of civilians in Abyei.
The demonstrators also submitted a petition to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), urging the peacekeeping mission to investigate the attack and bring the matter to the attention of the UN Security Council.
Speaking during a press briefing, the leader of Abyei Civil Society, Rose Monytoc Dau, said the attack, which the group attributed to drones operated by the Sudanese Armed Forces, violated international humanitarian law and relevant UN Security Council resolutio
In the petition addressed to UNISFA’s Acting Head of Mission and Force Commander, Lieutenant General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha, the civil society group cited Security Council Resolution 1990 (2011), which established the peacekeeping mission, and Resolution 2445 (2018), which extended its mandate. ; .
Reading from the petition, Dau said:
“Subject: Urgent appeal regarding the drone strike on Amiet Market, Ameth Agook County, Abyei Administrative Area, in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1990 (2011), 2445 (2018), and international humanitarian law.
“To the Acting Head of UNISFA and the Force Commander, we write to condemn the drone strike carried out on Monday, October 19, 2026, on Amiet Market in Ameth Agook County of Abyei Administrative Area.
“The strike has been attributed to drones of the Sudan Armed Forces, Port Sudan. As Acting Head of Mission and Force Commander, we urgently request that you investigate the incident and bring it to the attention of the Security Council.”
Dau further urged UNISFA’s leadership to urgently investigate the incident and present its findings to the UN Security Council.
Responding to the protesters, Lieutenant General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha said the mission had heard the concerns raised by the community and would forward the written petition to the relevant authorities.
“On behalf of the mission leadership, we welcome this sort of extension of your opinion and views because we believe that opinions should be expressed peacefully,” he said.
“The leadership of the civil society of Abyei and all community members gathered here, the message that was delivered has been heard, and the written petition will be transmitted to the relevant position,” Shrestha added.
