Kauda, June 02 (Darfur24)
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) announced on Tuesday that it has launched investigations into recent tribal clashes in the Bayami Dabi and Kauda areas of Heiban County, South Kordofan, which left people dead and injured, caused significant property damage, and displaced residents to nearby mountains.
The violence follows an armed conflict that erupted in March between two tribal groups in areas under SPLM-N control. The tensions later escalated into fighting within the movement’s military wing after authorities attempted to arrest officers accused of mutiny.
In a statement, SPLM-N Secretary-General Ammar Amoun Daldoum said the unrest began in the Bayami Dabi area between members of the Atoro and Shawaya communities before spreading in May to Bayami Kauda.
He said the General Staff of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army intervened to contain the situation and established a fact-finding committee. According to Daldoum, some individuals from the Shawaya community complied with the investigation. At the same time, several from the Atoro side refused to appear and accused the People’s Army of involvement in the violence.
Daldoum said the clashes resulted in civilian deaths, the burning and looting of private and public property, and attacks on institutions affiliated with the SPLM-N and the Civil Authority of New Sudan. He added that the Kauda Grand Market, the offices of humanitarian organizations, and his personal residence were also targeted.
The violence forced large numbers of residents, particularly in Bomat Payam of Kauda, to flee into the mountains, where they are facing severe humanitarian conditions, including shortages of food and shelter.
The SPLM-N called on all military personnel and individuals named in the fact-finding committee’s report to cooperate with investigators, stressing that “no one is above the law.”
The movement also said it had instructed humanitarian organizations operating in the area to scale up relief efforts for affected communities. Some organizations have already begun distributing assistance and assessing humanitarian needs.
SPLM-N appealed for urgent humanitarian support ahead of the rainy season and urged displaced residents sheltering in the mountains to return to their communities and access available aid.
The movement said resolving the crisis requires prioritizing civilian protection and preventing local disputes from being exploited to fuel broader conflict in the region.