UN Security Council convenes on Abyei as China presses RSF withdrawal and the UN warns of drone threats

The UN Security Council met Thursday on Abyei, where China backed political progress and called for RSF withdrawal while the UN warned of new drone threats.

• The UN Security Council convened Thursday on Abyei, where UNISFA's mandate expires November 15.
• China's deputy UN envoy Sun Li said Sudan and South Sudan had resumed their joint political and security mechanism and called for RSF withdrawal.
• Sun Li condemned drone strikes on Amiet market, which he said killed large numbers of civilians, and urged maintaining Abyei's demilitarized status.
• UN peace operations chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix warned of Abyei's first-ever drone attacks and urged the council to preserve UNISFA's capabilities.
• Sudan's UN envoy Al-Harith Idris Al-Harith Mohammed rejected South Sudan's inclusion of Abyei in December elections as a violation of bilateral agreements.
• The envoy reported a 32% decline in Abyei security incidents but flagged the continued presence of South Sudanese forces and RSF elements.
• Al-Harith welcomed progress toward deploying a UNISFA formed police unit and said conditions for modifying the mission's mandate remain unmet.