Fatal clashes, civilian suffering in Kordofan

A 21-year-old woman was killed, and several others sustained injuries during clashes between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement North under the leadership of Abdelaziz El Hilu (SPLM-N El Hilu) in Delling, South Kordofan, on Monday. Listeners in the North Kordofan capital, El Obeid, suffer as markets were closed following consecutive days of violence.

Sources in Delling reported to Radio Dabanga that “an SPLM-N force launched an assault on the town from two directions, using eight vehicles”. The army managed to “repel the assault, capturing a soldier and an officer, and seizing a vehicle”. The clashes left one civilian killed, a 21-year-old woman, and injured several others. The town reportedly witnessed relative calm on Tuesday after the army repelled the attack.

Regarding the overall situation in Delling, local farmers spoke to Radio Dabanga about the challenges facing the agricultural season, including delayed rains, a lack of liquidity, and security concerns. “Most of us are reluctant to cultivate in most areas due to the ongoing conflict”, one farmer said. Financing from banks is limited, with the cost of financing an area of 500 acres amounting to SDG 800,000. Another farmer explained that “banks are unable to provide sufficient liquidity, leading them to offer corn to [farmers] instead of cash”.

In South Kordofan, listeners in the area expressed concerns about the prolonged closure of the Delling-Kadugli road in the Karkal area by the SPLM-N for over two months. The road linking Delling to El Obeid via El Debibad remains closed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

On Tuesday, El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, experienced a state of complete paralysis, and markets were closed. “All public and private facilities halted operations after two days of clashes between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which resulted in casualties”, a listener in El Obeid said. The armed forces spokesman announced the “successful repulsion of the RSF’s attack on the city for the second consecutive day”.

A resident of El Obeid informed Radio Dabanga that the city was now experiencing a cautious calm, with most residents staying at home. “Both the market and banks remained closed”, one of the listeners in El Obeid confirmed.

Clashes between the two sides continued until Monday evening, marked by artillery shelling exchanges. “Shells landed in houses, resulting in about 27 people sustaining varying degrees of injuries”, according to a close source.

The clashes on Sunday left six people dead and 54 wounded, including a nurse, two assistants, and a child when a shell struck the Kuwaiti Children’s Hospital in El Obeid. Speaking to Radio Dabanga on Monday, journalist Gurashi Awad described Sunday morning’s clashes in El Obeid as “the most intense since the onset of the conflict”.