Chief Adviser (CA) Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus has expressed deep sorrow and concern over the martyrdom of six Bangladesh Army peacekeepers who were killed in a terrorist drone attack while serving in a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Sudan.

He conveyed the message of condolence on Saturday night through a post on his verified Facebook page.

The Chief Adviser said, “I am deeply saddened by the news of the martyrdom of our six brave peacekeepers while carrying out the noble duty of establishing peace and stability, and by the injury of eight others (with one additional person also reported injured). Bangladesh’s immense contribution to United Nations peacekeeping operations is internationally recognized. The sacrifice of these heroes is a source of national pride, yet also of profound grief.”

He prayed for the forgiveness of the souls of the martyred peacekeepers, expressed heartfelt condolences to their bereaved families, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured peacekeepers.

The mortal remains of the six peacekeepers who were martyred in a brutal terrorist drone attack on a UN peacekeeping base in the Abyei area of Sudan on December 13 were repatriated today to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport aboard an Emirates Airlines flight.

Present at the reception of the bodies were the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, the Acting UN Resident Representative in Bangladesh, a representative of the Force Commander of the UN mission deployed in Abyei (UNICEF), the Chief Community Liaison Officer, the Director General (UN) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director of the Overseas Operations Directorate, senior military and civilian officials, and members of the media.

At the time of receiving the bodies, everyone observed one minute of silence, and all military personnel rendered salutes in honor of the fallen peacekeepers.

On Sunday (21 December), following the funeral prayers at the Central Mosque of Dhaka Cantonment, the bodies will be flown by helicopter to their respective hometowns and buried with full military honours.

In addition to the six peacekeepers who were martyred in the terrorist drone attack, nine peacekeepers were injured. Of them, eight are currently receiving treatment at Aga Khan University Hospital (Level-3 Hospital) in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. All are reported to be out of danger at present.