Kauda – Sudan Now
A group of officers and commanders affiliated with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) has accused the movement’s military leadership of committing serious violations and being responsible for actions that have worsened humanitarian conditions in parts of Heiban County in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains.
The allegations were outlined in a clarification statement issued by the group, which said its members had been directly targeted by SPLA Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Izzat Koko Angelo. The signatories said they were compelled to present what they described as the facts surrounding the crisis to SPLM supporters and the wider public.
According to the statement, clashes and security tensions in Heiban County and the areas of Bam Kauda, Bam Heiban, Bam Al-Azraq and Bam Dibei continued for nearly 90 days beginning in March, causing significant human and material losses and disrupting civilian life.
The accusations come amid growing internal tensions within the SPLM-N in areas under its control in South Kordofan. In recent months, movement leaders and a group of officers have exchanged accusations over responsibility for security incidents and instability in the region.
The statement said the confrontations contributed to a deteriorating humanitarian situation and resulted in looting of public institutions, humanitarian organizations and private property.
The signatories warned that security conditions in Heiban County remain fragile and said the continued military buildup and troop movements around Otoro have increased fears of renewed clashes and a broader escalation of violence.
They added that they had left the area on May 18 despite being placed on a wanted list, claiming that military forces and allied armed groups continue to prepare for possible operations in the region.
The group accused elements within the SPLA of carrying out extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, assaults on civilians and cases of rape under threat, in addition to looting property, burning homes and displacing families from their communities.
Heiban, Kauda and Otoro are among the most prominent SPLM-N strongholds in the Nuba Mountains and have long served as political and military centers for the movement. The area has also hosted humanitarian organizations operating in South Kordofan.
The statement further alleged that a number of Otoro residents employed by international, regional and local humanitarian organizations had been detained without formal charges or transparent legal procedures despite their civilian and humanitarian roles.
The signatories criticized what they described as the movement’s failure to provide practical solutions or accountability measures in response to the crisis, arguing that official statements issued in recent weeks lacked concrete steps to address the situation or prevent further abuses.
They called on local communities to avoid being drawn into internal conflicts and social divisions and urged efforts to preserve peaceful coexistence and social cohesion in the aftermath of the violence.
The group rejected characterizations of the dispute as a rebellion against the SPLM-N, insisting that they remain committed to the movement’s principles and its vision of a “New Sudan.” They also called on Chief of Staff Izzat Koko Angelo to publicly respond to the allegations and explain the military measures taken in Otoro.
The allegations come days after SPLM-N Secretary-General Ammar Amon Daldoum acknowledged deadly incidents in the area and said the movement had established a fact-finding committee to investigate the events. The movement has said the violence began as a local dispute that later escalated, resulting in deaths, displacement and losses in property.
The statement concluded with an appeal to international, regional and local humanitarian organizations to increase assistance for those affected by the violence, support families who lost property and livelihoods, and help address the worsening humanitarian situation in the area.
