Dozens killed in rebel attacks on Sudan’s Kordofan, medical group says
Summary
The Sudan Doctors Network has accused the SPLM-N rebel group of killing 27 people, including four children, in the southern province of South Kordofan. The attacks targeted the Otoro tribe in the towns of Qardud and Abu Hamama on Tuesday, triggering a large wave of displacement towards the Abu Hitan area and Kadugli. The medical group described the targeting of unarmed civilians on ethnic grounds as a clear violation of international humanitarian law. The SPLM-N is a breakaway faction of the SPLM, the ruling party of neighbouring South Sudan, and its leader Abdel Aziz al-Hilu has aligned his fighters with the RSF. This incident adds to the ongoing civil war in Sudan, which has killed at least 59,000 people and displaced 14 million.
Key points
- SPLM-N rebels killed 27 people, including four children, in South Kordofan on Tuesday.
- The attacks targeted the Otoro tribe in Qardud and Abu Hamama, causing displacement to Abu Hitan and Kadugli.
- SPLM-N leader Abdel Aziz al-Hilu has aligned his fighters with the RSF.
- The civil war has killed at least 59,000 people and displaced 14 million.
- 33.7 million people, or two-thirds of the population, require humanitarian assistance.
Timeline
SPLM-N rebels attack Qardud and Abu Hamama, killing 27 people.
“Targeting unarmed civilians on ethnic grounds constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law.”
Background
The Otoro tribe is a minority group in the Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan. The ethnic standoff was first instigated by land disputes.
Why it matters
The attacks threaten to turn the conflict in South Kordofan into a broader ethnic conflict. The SPLM-N has joined ranks with the RSF in the civil war.