Sudanese army, SPLA-N clash with RSF in South Kordofan
January 8, 2024 (DILLING) – The Sudanese army and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N) led by Abdulaziz al-Hilu on Monday clashed with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Dilling, the second-largest city in South Kordofan.
The SPLM-N forces reportedly gained complete control of the city, prompting accusations that the army had handed over Dilling to the SPLM-N in a secret alliance to counter the RSF.
The official site of the Federal Ministry of Information confirmed the clashes, stating that the army and the SPLM-N in the Nuba Mountains had repelled an attack by the RSF and attacked some areas where the assailants were based.
According to witnesses, the RSF targeted residential areas in the Al-Quz, Al-Matar, and Abu Zaid neighbourhoods of Al-Hawazma with heavy shelling, causing widespread damage and displacing residents.
The Ministry of Information emphasized that the joint forces had not engaged in any attacks on civilians or property and that the police and security services were maintaining order in the city.
In a related development, Sudanese army warplanes conducted airstrikes on the Al-Dabaibat area of the Al-Quz locality, located 56 kilometres north of Dilling, for the second time in less than a week, targeting a former RSF camp.
The airstrikes reportedly destroyed the camp and disrupted a convoy of RSF vehicles heading towards Dilling.
The Sudanese government platform claimed that the Al-Dabaibat camp had been used by the RSF as a staging ground for attacks in the north, particularly toward the cities of El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, and South Dilling.
The ongoing clashes and airstrikes highlight the instability in South Kordofan, where the RSF, the SPLM-N, and the Sudanese army continue to vie for control.
(ST)