Kauda – Local sources reported that an armed group opposed to Abdelaziz al-Hilu has announced that it has taken control of the town of Kauda and the Luwairi area in South Kordofan State, following clashes with forces of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North (SPLM-N).
The sources said the group seized military positions and facilities inside Kauda, including the prison, and released a number of detainees, while forces loyal to the SPLM-N withdrew from parts of the town. The sources also said the group had extended its control to the neighboring Luwairi area.
According to the sources, the town also witnessed looting targeting warehouses belonging to humanitarian organizations, as well as the detention of a number of civilians who were taken to mountainous areas. Local witnesses further reported that some residents were forced to transport food supplies seized by the armed group. “Sudan Now” was not able to independently verify these claims.
In videos and statements circulating on social media, members of the group claimed responsibility for the military operation, saying they had taken control of Kauda following clashes with forces of the SPLM-N. The movement’s leadership has not yet issued an official statement on the reported developments.
Kauda serves as the principal political and military stronghold of the SPLM-N led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu. For years, it has functioned as the administrative center for areas under the movement’s control in the Nuba Mountains and hosts a number of military, administrative and humanitarian facilities.
The reported developments come days after rising tensions and internal clashes within areas controlled by the SPLM-N in South Kordofan, amid reports of divisions between the movement’s leadership and field commanders. The unrest has reportedly affected the security situation in Kauda and surrounding areas.
South Kordofan and Blue Nile states have been the scene of a protracted conflict between the Sudanese government and the SPLM-N since 2011. The conflict later became intertwined with the broader war that erupted in Sudan in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, further worsening the humanitarian and security situation across the region.
There has been no independent confirmation from international organizations or the SPLM-N of the reported takeover of Kauda and Luwairi. Developments on the ground remain fluid, with conflicting accounts continuing to emerge from local sources.
