Sudanese doctors' network: Rebels killed 27 in southern Sudan clashes

A wave of ethnic violence in Sudan's South Kordofan province has resulted in the deaths of at least 27 people, the Sudanese Doctors' Syndicate reported. The attacks, carried out by members of the rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), targeted the Otoro tribe in the Kardud and Abu Hamama areas.

These clashes are part of a broader conflict that has intensified fighting between SPLM-N-affiliated forces and the Otoro people, a minority ethnic group in the Nuba Mountains region. The conflict initially stemmed from land disputes but has become entangled with the larger civil war that erupted in Sudan in April 2023 between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The attacks have forced numerous residents to flee their homes, seeking refuge in nearby villages like Abu Hitan and the provincial capital, Kadugli. The Sudanese Doctors' Syndicate emphasized that the targeting of unarmed civilians, including women and children, based on ethnicity constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law. The organization urged the international community to pressure the SPLM-N leadership to cease these attacks.

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that targeting unarmed civilians, including women and children, on an ethnic basis constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law