WED 26 AUG - At least 27 people, including four children, have reportedly been killed in attacks by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-N) in South Kordofan.
It follows clashes over recent months between the SPLM-N, which controls much of the state, and the Otoro tribe, a group native to the Nuba mountains. The fighting began with alleged attempts to move the Otoro away from gold-rich areas.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Sudan Doctors Network (SDN) said the latest attacks occurred in the areas of Al-Qardud and Abu Hamama and that the victims had been targeted “on ethnic grounds”.
It added that a number of others, including women, had been injured and that the attacks had caused a “large wave of displacement”.
The reports have not been independently verified by Avaaz.
It comes after the Otoro accused the SPLM-N of violating a ceasefire agreement reportedly reached last week following mediation efforts by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with which the SPLM-N is allied.
On Saturday, the Otoro accused the SPLM-N of shelling parts of the town of Kauda, a traditional stronghold of the SPLM-N that fell under partial Otoro control amid the recent clashes.
Acting Otoro leader Koko al-Dujail Damjala claimed Otoro areas had come under bombardment from an SPLM-N position and called on mediators to intervene.
In response, the SPLM-N said it was “surprised” by the accusations and claimed to have carried out “no military operations…, either previously or currently, against the Otoro Tribe”.
Since the clashes began earlier this year, there have been repeated allegations of violations against the Otoro by the SPLM-N or forces affiliated with it.
In May, at least 61 people, including nine children and five women, were killed in attacks that also saw the burning of homes and widespread looting, according to the SDN.
At the time, the SPLM-N claimed it had deployed forces to the area to “separate” fighters from the Otoro and the Shawaya, another local tribe, amid a border dispute.
Citing community leaders, Sudan Tribune reports that, since April, the SPLM-N has detained 26 Otoro aid workers - both men and women - on ethnic grounds.
Displacement and looting caused by the fighting have also prevented farmers from cultivating thousands of acres of land, leading to fears of a deterioration in food security in the region, Darfur24 reports.
On Monday, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Denise Brown described the situation in the Heiban locality, which surrounds Kauda, as “deeply concerning”.
“The conflict between non-state actors continues to take a heavy toll on civilians and has led to displacement and the destruction of critical civilian infrastructure,” she said.
“These incidents disrupt life-saving operations and deprive people of critical assistance.”
SAF begins regularising former RSF fighters as defections continue
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) has begun the process of formally enlisting former RSF fighters amid an ongoing series of defections.
The army said in a statement on Thursday that it had completed the “first phase of the procedures for regularising the status of defectors”.
It said the process had included a swearing-in oath and security checks, adding that it would “pave the way for [the soldiers’] assignment to various formations and units”.
Recent months have seen a number of defections of senior RSF figures, including some believed to have been involved in violations against civilians.
Last week, SAF said 318 RSF members, including four commanders, had defected along with up to 50 combat vehicles, AfricaNews reports.
The group was reportedly led by Brigadier General Musa Ali Ahmed Khamsin, who was seen in footage saying he had defected because the RSF “had no goal”.
“Their work was about theft and looting, and they are all one family,” he said. “We will now stand together with SAF.”
A man seen alongside him believed to be a SAF commander added: “Anyone who wants to come will be welcomed here”.
Khamsin is thought to have been a key field commander during the siege and fall of El Fasher, during which thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed, Sudan Tribune reports.
A previous defector, Al-Nour Ahmed ‘Guba’ Adam, is also believed to have been central to the offensive on El Fasher.
Hundreds displaced by flooding in Darfur and Kordofan
Hundreds of people have been displaced by flooding amid rains in the Darfur and Kordofan regions.
The rainy season typically lasts from June until September and often brings flooding and displacement to areas across Sudan.
On Friday, a total of 143 households - equivalent to around 715 people - were displaced from villages in northern South Kordofan after their homes were destroyed, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), while a further 94 houses sustained damage.
Those displaced reportedly had to improvise shelter in open areas in the surrounding region.
It followed flooding throughout last week in parts of North Darfur, including at a number of existing displacement camps, that saw around 60 households - around 300 people - displaced.
Among those affected were people in camps in Tawila, where many fled to escape El Fasher.
Displacement camps often have to be set up on whatever land is available and uncontested, meaning they are frequently in areas that are low-lying and more vulnerable to flooding.
Overcrowding and a lack of proper drainage means flooding can also enable the spread of diseases like cholera and malaria.
Last week, the UN said more than 200,000 people had been displaced by fighting and floods across Kordofan since late 2025.
The weekly dispatch features the latest developments, first-hand testimony, footage, photos, stats and analysis on Sudan. We can connect you with voices from the ground, experts, and survivors of the war. Get in touch on +44 7514 796 678 or sudan@avaaz.org.
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