Ethnic clashes in southern Sudan have resulted in the deaths of at least 27 people, including four children, according to a local medical organization. The Sudan Doctors Network stated that the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-N) carried out the killings in the Qardud and Abu Hamama areas of South Kordofan, which are inhabited by the Otoro tribe.
These incidents follow earlier intense fighting between forces linked to the SPLM-N and the Otoro tribe, a minority group in the Nuba Mountains. The conflict, initially sparked by land disputes, is unfolding amid the broader civil war in Sudan that began in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The Sudan Doctors Network reported that the attacks have compelled many residents to flee towards Abu Hitan, a nearby village, and Kadugli, the largest town in South Kordofan. The group emphasized in a statement that targeting unarmed civilians, including women and children, on ethnic grounds is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
The humanitarian group urged the international community to apply pressure on the SPLM-N leadership to cease attacks on civilians. Women were also reported to be among those injured in the recent assaults.
The SPLM-N is described as a breakaway faction of the SPLM, the ruling party in neighboring South Sudan. Its leader, Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, has reportedly aligned his fighters with the RSF and joined a parallel government led by the RSF.