SPLM-N accused of fresh attacks on Nuba ethnic group in South Kordofan

August 8, 2026 (KAUDA) – A tribal leader in South Kordofan’s Nuba Mountains on Saturday accused forces loyal to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N) led by Abdel Aziz al-Hilu of launching fresh attacks on Otoro ethnic villages in Kauda and detaining four aid workers.

Tensions have escalated in and around Kauda following ongoing clashes since March between SPLA-N forces and members of the Otoro community. The violence stems from a land dispute between the Otoro and Shawaya groups that escalated into armed confrontations, prompting military intervention by the SPLA-N.

The situation deteriorated sharply over the past month, driving thousands of civilians from Kauda and nearby areas after homes were burned and looted. The violence also led to the looting of Kauda’s main market, aid agency offices, and officials’ residences, while prisoners were freed during a raid on Kudi prison.

 Koko Al-Diqair Damjala, Paramount Chief (Mak) of the Otoro tribe, said SPLA-N intelligence forces raided a residential compound belonging to Samaritan’s Purse aid agency in Kamalila on Friday evening. Four local staff members, Macarius Youssef, Jalal Kunda, Jagoud Omar, and Wadad Bashir, were detained and taken to an undisclosed location.

The traditional leader called on Samaritan’s Purse to publicly condemn the detentions, while urging rights groups and international media to pressure the SPLM-N leadership to release the men and end what he described as targeted persecution of the Otoro people.

In a second statement, the chief accused the SPLA-N General Staff of attacking three villages in the Debe Bayam area near Kauda: Al-Qoz, Nawali, and Korbela.

Forces using three vehicles and infantry raided the villages, while troops stationed in Kauda shelled the Luwere area with heavy artillery, striking the Martyrs’ Cemetery and causing minor damage, according to the statement.

The chief said the military actions coincided with local mediation efforts to reconcile the groups, warning that the timing threatened to derail peace initiatives in the region.

He denied that the clashes were linked to land demarcation or officer arrests, saying the campaign deliberately targeted civilians to force displacement. He held al-Hilu directly responsible for issuing the orders.

An unverified leaked audio recording surfaced online, appearing to feature SPLM-N Vice President Jagoud Mukwar acknowledging that the Otoro community had faced killings, detentions, sexual violence, and displacement, which he said pushed them into rebellion.

Mukwar, who serves on the leadership council and governs the region under a regional alliance, indicated the abuses were ordered by al-Hilu and carried out by Chief of Staff Izzat Koko.

In the recording, Mukwar warned that ongoing abuses against any ethnic group would inevitably spark resistance, saying no community would accept such treatment.

A spokesman for the Otoro Community Organization denied allegations that its fighters had destroyed the SPLM-N’s historic headquarters or the Martyrs’ Cemetery in Luwere, west of Kauda. In a statement, the group said all facilities under its control remained undamaged.

The group added that protected sites included the grave of historic SPLM leader Yousif Kuwa, as well as the homes of al-Hilu, Mukwar, and Koko.