At least 44 killed in attack by rebel faction in southern Sudan

At least 44 civilians were killed and 28 wounded in an attack by a faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu on Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan state in southern Sudan, authorities announced Monday.

The SPLM-N has been fighting the Sudanese army in South Kordofan and Blue Nile since 2011, demanding special status for the two regions.

According to a Sudanese government spokesperson, SPLM-N forces shelled Kadugli with artillery fire Monday morning, causing casualties among civilians, including women and children. Among the dead was Imam Nizar Mohamed Tom, a preacher at the historic Kadugli Old Mosque.

South Kordofan Governor Mohamed Ibrahim Abdel Karim condemned the attack, describing it as “a brutal aggression against civilians.”

He said the Sudanese army responded effectively, inflicting heavy losses on the rebels in terms of personnel, vehicles and equipment, while also seizing weapons and ammunition.

Sudanese military commander Faisal Mukhtar of the 14th Infantry Division said the armed forces had regained control of the situation in Kadugli.

The SPLM-N has yet to comment on the attack.

This escalation in South Kordofan comes as the Sudanese army expands its control in Khartoum and Al Jazirah states, where it has been engaged in a brutal conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023.

The war has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and displaced nearly 14 million people, according to the UN and Sudanese authorities. However, research from a US university suggests the death toll may be as high as 130,000.

International organizations continue to warn of an impending humanitarian catastrophe as fighting has spread to 13 of Sudan's 18 states, pushing millions toward starvation and death due to food shortages.