UN Security Council Adopts Resolution 2823 to Punish Peacekeeper Attacks

The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2823 on June 23, 2026, to increase accountability and justice for crimes committed against peacekeeping personnel. Jointly drafted by Pakistan and Denmark and cosponsored by 153 countries, the measure establishes that deliberate attacks on peacekeepers or their facilities may constitute war crimes. The resolution responds to a rise in the frequency and sophistication of attacks, including recent hostilities in Lebanon where seven peacekeepers were killed this year.

The resolution mandates Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to improve fact-collection following attacks, maintain factual records, and appoint a senior focal point for accountability. Guterres must provide the Council with options to strengthen accountability mechanisms within 120 days and submit annual reports on the status of investigations and prosecutions.

While the resolution reaffirms the primary responsibility of host states to prosecute crimes under national law, it encourages the deployment of trained investigative personnel to assist those nations. This follows a 2021 effort that resulted in 103 convictions for offenses in the Central African Republic, Congo, Lebanon, and Mali. India, which has lost 69 peacekeepers since 1948, strongly backed the measure as part of a broader effort to ensure that crimes against UN personnel do not go unpunished.