Rebel Strikes Kill Dozens of Civilians Including Children In South Kordofan

A medical group says dozens died in rebel strikes across Sudan's Kordofan region. The Sudan Doctors Network reports that SPLM-N fighters killed 27 people in South Kordofan. Four of those victims were children. This attack happened Tuesday in Qardud and Abu Hamama. Those towns are home to the Otoro tribe.

The group called these actions a clear violation of international humanitarian law. They warned that such violence could turn the current conflict into a broader ethnic war. Many civilians fled the area for safety after the shooting. People moved toward the Abu Hitan area and Kadugli seeking refuge. Women were also wounded in this latest wave of violence.

These killings follow intense fighting earlier this year between SPLM-N forces and the Otoro tribe. Land disputes first sparked that standoff. That local trouble adds another layer to the national civil war. The main conflict began in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the RSF.

The Sudan Doctors Network urged global leaders to pressure SPLM-N leadership to stop these attacks. They noted women were among those hurt. The SPLM-N is a breakaway faction from the ruling party of South Sudan. Its leader, Abdel Aziz al-Hilu, has aligned with the RSF. He joined forces with the parallel government led by the RSF in Khartoum.

The scale of suffering remains enormous. At least 59,000 people have died since the war started. Some 14 million others were forced from their homes. The World Health Organization says roughly 33.7 million people need aid. That figure represents two-thirds of Sudan's entire population.