Denmark, Pakistan seek tougher action against attacks on UN peacekeepers

Denmark and Pakistan have introduced a draft UN Security Council resolution aimed at ending the widespread impunity enjoyed by those responsible for attacks on UN peacekeepers. The proposal, expected to be voted on soon, calls for stronger accountability and greater efforts to investigate and prosecute perpetrators.

The resolution highlights concerns that the low rate of prosecutions for crimes against peacekeepers has undermined the safety and security of UN personnel operating in conflict zones. It comes amid growing threats to peacekeeping missions, including the deaths of seven members of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) since the latest Israel-Hezbollah conflict began in March.

The draft places primary responsibility on host nations to investigate and prosecute attacks on peacekeepers, urging all parties to cooperate with the UN to ensure perpetrators are identified and brought to justice without delay. It also calls for the appointment of a senior UN focal point to coordinate efforts across the organization and encourages troop-contributing countries to provide trained investigators to assist host states.

Denmark and Pakistan, along with South Korea, have championed peacekeeping reform since joining the Security Council in 2025, seeking to revive attention to a long-neglected issue. The resolution warns that attacks on peacekeepers are becoming more frequent and sophisticated, citing threats ranging from shelling and improvised explosive devices to drone strikes.

Since 2013, at least 251 peacekeepers have been killed in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mali, accounting for 80 percent of all peacekeeper deaths caused by malicious acts during that period. Only a small number of those responsible have faced justice.