Kadugli – Sudan Now | May 12, 2026

Armed clashes within the ranks of the SPLM-N, led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, have triggered a large wave of displacement involving hundreds of families from areas surrounding Kauda in South Kordofan State, amid worsening humanitarian conditions and acute shortages of food, water, and basic services.

 

Activists and local sources circulated video footage, obtained by “Sudan Now”, documenting the displacement of large groups of civilians -most of them women and children- across rugged mountainous terrain amid soaring temperatures and limited access to water sources.

 

The footage showed dozens of displaced people crowding around limited water points in the “Masfa” area, carrying plastic ”jerrycans” after traveling long distances to obtain water, while many appeared visibly exhausted and fatigued.

 

In one of the recorded testimonies, a displaced woman carrying her child said they had fled their homes and abandoned their belongings after the fighting erupted, adding that they had been staying in open areas for more than a week without sufficient food or water.

 

“The people are dying, and hunger is consuming us… some people got lost and no one knows where they are,” she said, appealing to humanitarian organizations and government authorities for urgent intervention, particularly with the rainy season approaching and the absence of shelter.

 

In another video, one of the displaced residents spoke about the growing pressure on the area’s limited water sources, saying families wait for hours to obtain “a single jerrycan of water,” as the suffering of displaced people worsens amid the absence of basic services.

 

These developments come in the wake of internal clashes between factions of the SPLA-N, stemming from disputes related to land ownership and border demarcation among local communities in the area.

 

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement has officially acknowledged the clashes, accusing a group of officers from the “Atoro” faction of rebelling against the SPLA leadership and attacking its forces. In response, officers and leaders from the same group have denied the allegations, instead accusing SPLM-aligned forces of committing violations, including the burning of villages and homes and the displacement of civilians.

 

In recent days, warnings have intensified over a deepening humanitarian crisis in displacement areas around Kauda, amid fears of disease outbreaks and potential deaths among children and the elderly due to thirst, hunger, and a lack of medical care.