Otoro tribe accuses SPLM-N rebels of violating ceasefire in Nuba Mountains
August 22, 2026 (KAUDA) – Sudan’s Otoro tribe on Saturday accused the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) of breaching a newly declared ceasefire by launching heavy artillery strikes on the stronghold town of Kauda in South Kordofan’s Nuba Mountains.
The reported bombardment came less than 24 hours after SPLM-N leader Abdelaziz al-Hilu ordered his fighters on Friday to cease hostilities in and around Kauda. The unilateral truce responded to a mediation initiative by paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo aimed at ending months of deadly inter-communal fighting.
The Otoro leadership had agreed to the RSF-backed initiative and pledged to halt armed engagements to facilitate a peaceful settlement to clashes that have shaken rebel-held territory since March.
In a statement, acting Otoro traditional leader Koko al-Dujail Damjala said the tribe was surprised by the sudden resumption of military operations following the truce agreement.
Damjala said Kauda came under intense bombardment from late Friday into Saturday morning with 120mm mortars and 23mm anti-aircraft guns. He stated the fire originated from an SPLM-N military base in the nearby Al-Gadeel area.
He condemned the shelling as a direct violation of the ceasefire, warning that the continued strikes threatened to derail peace efforts and suggested some factions were intentionally sabotaging the settlement.
Damjala called on mediators to step in immediately to enforce the truce, adding that the Otoro maintained the right to self-defence and to protect local civilians if the attacks continued.
Footage released on social media by a platform affiliated with Otoro fighters showed armed tribesmen maintaining positions across parts of Kauda, including local administrative buildings and a military headquarters in the Luwira area.
The SPLM-N launched a major offensive in Kauda last week, taking back parts of the town. Local rights activists accused the group of committing abuses against civilians during the assault, including extrajudicial killings and forced displacement.
The SPLM-N could not immediately be reached for comment on the allegations.