Sudanese army repels SPLM-N attack in South Kordofan

June 21, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese army repulsed an assault by the SPLM-N on the city of Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan state, according to an official statement on Wednesday.

Following the fall of the Bashir regime, the conflict between the Sudanese army and the rebel group subsided under the regular renewal of the cessation of hostilities. As part of its commitment to peace, the Civilian Transitional Government permitted direct entry of humanitarian aid into the rebel-controlled area from Sudanese territory.

The 54th Infantry Brigade stationed in Kadugli faced “a treacherous attack by the SPLM, despite the annually renewed ceasefire agreement with the Sudanese government,” said the army on Wednesday.

The statement further affirmed that government forces successfully repelled the attack, inflicting heavy losses upon the assailants while also acknowledging some casualties among their ranks.

The assault coincides with Sudan’s military engagement against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum and Darfur. At the same time, military commanders mobilize infantry from various provinces to participate in the ongoing urban warfare in the capital.

Local sources in Kadugli confirmed the attack and anticipated the escalation of hostilities in South Kordofan. Reports from the area mention separate clashes in the Dilling town, which were not reported in the Sudanese army’s statement.

In statements to Sudan tribune, Mohamed Yousef al-Mustafa, a prominent member of the SPLM-N al-Hilu, denied their forces’ involvement in the Dilling attack.

“While our movement did not partake in these clashes, it does not negate our right to respond to any attacks against the Nuba people in areas controlled by the army,” emphasized al-Mustafa.

The military coup d’état on October 25, 2021, disrupted the ongoing peace talks in Juba aimed at resolving the protracted conflict in the Nuba Mountains, which erupted in June 2011.