Kauda – A Catholic priest and two of his associates were killed in Kauda, in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains, according to a local activist who accused forces linked to a faction within the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) of carrying out the attack.

Kawa Barjil, an activist focused on Nuba Mountains issues, said the victims included Father Yohanna Al-Amin Komkome, who was responsible for the Catholic Church in Kauda, as well as a church storekeeper identified as Yohanna and a guard identified as John Lama.

Barjil alleged that the attack was carried out by forces affiliated with SPLA-N Chief of Staff Ezzat Koko Angalo. He claimed the victims had been given 24 hours to leave the area before they were attacked.

Sudan Now could not independently verify the allegations, and no immediate comment was available from the SPLM-N leadership regarding the claims.

Barjil called on local communities not to participate in attacks against civilians or in the looting and burning of villages, warning that those responsible would eventually face justice.

The reported killings come amid continuing tensions and military confrontations in parts of the Nuba Mountains, where rival groups have exchanged accusations over security incidents and alleged abuses in recent months.

Since March, areas of the Nuba Mountains have witnessed internal clashes involving factions linked to the SPLM-N, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of civilians and a deterioration in humanitarian conditions in several affected communities.

The dispute is rooted in longstanding disagreements over land ownership and administrative boundaries in the Otoro area. SPLM-N officials have accused some residents of rebellion against movement authorities, while community representatives have alleged that movement leaders are attempting to impose control over their land by force.

The movement has previously said it organized a conference to address administrative boundaries and land issues involving different communities in the Nuba Mountains. According to local sources, representatives from the Otoro community declined to endorse the outcome of those discussions.

The latest incident is likely to deepen concerns over security and humanitarian conditions in the Nuba Mountains, where local residents continue to face displacement, restricted movement and recurring armed tensions.