Sudan’s SPLM-N faction accused of attacking villages in South Kordofan

September 8, 2026 (KAUDA) – A tribal leadership in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains on Wednesday accused a major rebel faction of attacking three villages in South Kordofan, killing and wounding civilians and torching homes.

The chieftaincy of the Otoro ethnic group said fighters from the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N), led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, launched dawn raids on the settlements of Ramtala, Al-Muqrayh, and Kalqa in Heiban County.

In a statement, the tribal leadership said the assaults took place around 5 a.m. (0300 GMT), forcing residents to flee. Assessments to determine the full extent of casualties and destruction were ongoing.

A spokesperson for the SPLA-N was not immediately reachable for comment.

The violence flared around Kauda despite mediation efforts involving Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, local religious leaders, and civil society figures. Both sides had verbally agreed to halt clashes, though no formal ceasefire was signed.

The Otoro leadership described the assault as a serious escalation that undermines peacemaking efforts and urged regional and international actors to intervene to prevent wider communal fighting in the Nuba Mountains.

Tensions have simmered in Heiban County since March following armed clashes between the SPLA-N and Otoro fighters.

The unrest originated as a local land dispute between the Otoro and neighbouring Shawaya communities before escalating into broader confrontations when the rebel movement intervened, drawing allegations of abuses against Otoro civilians.