The Sudan Doctors Network reported on Tuesday that members of the SPLM-N attacked a village in South Kordofan, killing 27 civilians, among them four children. The medical group did not specify the exact location or date of the attack but described it as a "brutal assault" that left multiple others injured.
The SPLM-N has long been active in Sudan's southern regions, fighting against the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied militias. The group is part of a broader coalition of rebel factions that have been battling the government since the civil war erupted in April 2023. The conflict, which began as a power struggle between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has since drawn in numerous armed groups, leading to widespread atrocities.
South Kordofan, a resource-rich area bordering South Sudan, has been a flashpoint for decades. The region was a key battleground during Sudan's civil wars before South Sudan's independence in 2011, and it remains contested. The latest attack follows a series of massacres and displacement events across Sudan, where the UN estimates over 10,000 people have been killed and 8.6 million displaced since the war began.
The Sudanese government, led by the military, has not yet commented on the incident. However, it has previously accused the SPLM-N of committing war crimes, a charge the rebel group denies. International mediators, including the United States and Saudi Arabia, have struggled to secure a lasting ceasefire between the army and the RSF, while rebel groups like the SPLM-N continue to operate independently.
The attack has drawn condemnation from human rights groups, who call for an independent investigation. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that the ongoing fighting "is fueling a humanitarian catastrophe" in Sudan, with starvation and disease rampant in blockade-affected areas.